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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28398927">BLIND KAGEYAMA AU - Listen to my Voice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blind Character, Blind Kageyama Tobio, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:55:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,552</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28398927</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a freak accident, volleyball prodigy Kageyama Tobio goes blind. No longer able to set, pass or even hit the ball properly, he must learn to live with the way he is and to again fall in love with the sport he holds so close to his heart, with help from a certain ray of sunshine.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>95</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Come Back to Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/733095">BLIND KAGEYAMA AU - Listen to my Voice</a> by tashiiia.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, so I noticed this was only on wattpad so I'm uploading it here because I know some people prefer AO3 over wattpad. I'm not going to change the original story at all except for any typos I see. The original writer is tashiiia and the link to the original work is https://www.wattpad.com/story/222133741-blind-kageyama-au-listen-to-my-voice</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p>
<p>It was dark. Really dark. It wasn't the kind of dark you see when you close your eyes or turn off the light. It was dark dark. <em>Nothing</em> dark.</p>
<p>I couldn't feel anything. </p>
<p>Not my body. Not where I was.</p>
<p>I couldn't smell, or see, or anything.</p>
<p>All I could hear, was a feint voice.</p>
<p><em>"Kageyama..."</em> it said. <em>"Come back to me..."</em></p>
<p>I open my eyes, not seeing a thing.</p>
<p>
  <em>Three Days Earlier                                                                                                 </em>
</p>
<p>"Tobio! Come downstairs and help me cook breakfast."</p>
<p>I looked at the time.</p>
<p>
  <em>7:26</em>
</p>
<p>I groaned and tried to turn off my alarm, before realizing there was no sound to be muted.</p>
<p>Natural instinct I guess.</p>
<p>"Tobio!" my mother called again.</p>
<p>"Coming!"</p>
<p>I'd usually be up by 6:30, but the weather forecast said it was going to rain heavily.</p>
<p>It did, I heard it. It was loud. Too loud to be just rain. Hail maybe?</p>
<p>Either way it was annoying.</p>
<p>I paced myself and stretched my legs, walking downstairs. She was standing by the stove, trying to read the back of the pancake mix.</p>
<p>"Tobio..." she said, squinting her eyes. "Can you read this for me?"</p>
<p>I took the mix out of her hands.                                                                             </p>
<p>"Don't worry about it, I'll make breakfast."</p>
<p>I sighed as she went upstairs, already shouting to wake up my older sister.</p>
<p>I looked back down to read the mix. The writing was smaller than I thought it'd be...</p>
<p>I squinted at it too, before going to get some water, placing the mix on top of the frying pan.</p>
<p>As soon as I looked away, I remember a thick, sickening scent crowding the room.</p>
<p>I remember my taste buds being taken over by a dense, almost <em>suffocating</em> sensation.</p>
<p>The last thing I expected when I turned around, was a fire, replacing the once clear bench top.</p>
<p>"Shit!" I whispered to myself, wetting a cloth to put atop the flames.</p>
<p>I hadn't realized my mother had already put the face; maybe that was my fault...</p>
<p>I felt like an idiot at the time, not wetting the cloth enough and just freaking out as I watched the fire burn through. I panicked, and glanced around the kitchen, frantically..</p>
<p>When I turned back, all I could see was angry flames in my eyes...</p>
<p><em>Back to the present </em>                                                                                                         </p>
<p>I opened my eyes not seeing a thing.</p>
<p>I could hear muffled voices, they weren't like the feint one I heard before. That one was familiar, soft...<em> Comforting</em>. The voices I hear now are anything but.</p>
<p>"Come quick! He's awake!"                                                                                     </p>
<p>"Ma'am calm down, we're coming"                                                                         </p>
<p>"Tobio? Tobio can you hear me?"                                                                             </p>
<p>"Miss, I'm going to ask you to move back please... Mr. Tobio, can you hear me?"</p>
<p>I could. I could hear her. It wasn't muffled anymore. If anything I could hear her more clearly than I ever could before.</p>
<p>"W-Wha-" I didn't even recognize my voice. It was scrappy and quiet, like I hadn't used it in days. Considering what I was hearing, maybe I hadn't...</p>
<p>"How do you feel?"</p>
<p>There was a lot I wanted to say. I wanted to ask so many questions, say so many things. I couldn't see. But my body was heavy and my throat hurt, so I refrained from talking too much.</p>
<p>"Cold."</p>
<p>"That's normal, it's coming close to winter... do you remember anything?"</p>
<p>"Rain..." I said hoarsely. As much as I wanted to form sentences, words just wouldn't come "Fire...fire..."</p>
<p>Fire? Is that why I'm here... you know, wherever I am?</p>
<p>The bed I'm lying on feels like plastic, like a hospital bed. I sat on one once, but I could never forget the feeling of them.</p>
<p>Gross and plasticky; I remember never wanting to be on another one again... now look where I am.</p>
<p><em>'Don't worry, you'll be fine' </em>that's what my mum said to my sister that day. The day I sat with her before a small surgery.</p>
<p>That's what I wanted her to say to me.</p>
<p>If she had just told me I would be fine, maybe I wouldn't have been panicking like I was.</p>
<p>Maybe I would've <em>seen</em> a small ray of hope for me.</p>
<p>But instead, to me she said,</p>
<p>"Tobio...d-does anything hurt? Are you ok?"</p>
<p>Not even she can form a sentence properly.</p>
<p>"See" I said back to her, unable to say anything else. "I can't...see"</p>
<p>A confused silence simmers through the air.</p>
<p>I assumed the other person in the room was a doctor, or a nurse, or at least something like that.</p>
<p>Judging by how he was talking, that's the conclusion I came to.</p>
<p><em>He </em>was the one who broke the uneasiness in the room.</p>
<p>"Mr. Kageyama... there was an accident. A house fire of sorts. There was trauma done to your body, but it was mostly from the shock. Significant damage was done to your eyes. I'm afraid that...you may not be able to see for awhile."</p>
<p>I couldn't think. I couldn't speak. I may not be able to see for awhile? What's that supposed to mean? I have to be able to see. How am I going to walk? How am I going to make food or get snacks? How am I going to...be able to play volleyball.</p>
<p>I try to get up, but I'm restrained by what feels like wires. I manage to use my weak arms to lean forward a little.</p>
<p>"For how long?!" I try to scream, before forgetting how sore I was. I end up coughing. "For how long?" I say, quieter.</p>
<p>"We don't know...possibly never."</p>
<p>Those words burned into my mind faster than any fire.</p>
<p>I lay back down in shock.</p>
<p>"We don't know that yet!" My mum says, in an overly happy yet concerned voice. "There are certain treatments and surgeries we can do! We just need to find the right time and resources and...and..."</p>
<p>She stops. Even she doesn't believe what she's saying.</p>
<p>So that's it then? I'm never going to be able to do anything ever again?</p>
<p>What hope do I have left?</p>
<p>A voice came into the back of my mind.</p>
<p>
  <em>'Come back to me'</em>
</p>
<p>'Come back to me...' I whisper to myself.</p>
<p>"What was that?"</p>
<p>"Did someone come to visit me? A small ginger haired boy?</p>
<p>I manage to fight through the restrains on my bed and sit up.</p>
<p>"There couldn't be too many visitors at a time, due to your unstable condition, however there was a bit just like how you described. He came everyday after school, before we had to tell him that you weren't allowed visitors."</p>
<p>I smile a little, or at least, try to.</p>
<p>The singular strand of hope I was clinging onto was Hinata Shouyo.</p>
<p>But was that enough to help me see again?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Baby Steps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p>
<p>Not being able to see is scary. No, not having the <em>choice </em>to see is terrifying. I had no sense of time, or concept of where I was.</p>
<p>My mum was still beside me until moments ago, when she was suddenly called into work.</p>
<p>She tried to refuse, but I assured her that I would be fine.</p>
<p>When I asked, she said it's only been roughly three hours since I woke up.</p>
<p>My dad and sister had already visited me, and had just gone to get some food for me. Dinner specifically.</p>
<p>I was told about everything that happened about an hour after I woke up.</p>
<p>After the fire started, the shock and pain caused me to black out. My mum found me shortly after. My dad was the one who put the fire out, and I was rushed to the hospital. My mum had minor burns on her hands from touching me, but that was about it.</p>
<p>I was already sitting up when they came in with the food.</p>
<p>I was starving. I hadn't eaten all day, the machines did that for me. </p>
<p>"Thanks for the meal." I said as I went to grab the chopsticks.</p>
<p>Where were the chopsticks? I patted around some more before Miwa grabbed my hand and placed it in my lap.</p>
<p>"Don't" she said. Her hands were shaking and so was her voice.</p>
<p>Not being able to see has made me a lot more aware of things. Knowing that your older sister has been crying, and because of you at that, was an uncomfortable feeling.</p>
<p>"Open" she says. I do, and she places a mouthful of rice into my mouth.</p>
<p>I chew and swallow. I had a sense of what was in my mouth, and how much I needed to chew. At least I knew that much.</p>
<p>"Wow" I say, as she goes to put another spoonful of rice in my mouth. "I really <em>am </em>useless am I."</p>
<p>She hesitates, and doesn't say anything for awhile. I realize that was stupid for me to say, but she wasn't disagreeing. That probably meant it was true.</p>
<p>I get about half way through my meal, or at least, what feels like halfway, when I can hear her start to cry a little.</p>
<p>"Sorry" she says, sniffing. "I've been trying to hold it in this whole time, but I guess you haven't noticed, huh?"</p>
<p>"No" I say. "I haven't"</p>
<p>she hugs me, and I flinch a little. I didn't even hear her coming close.</p>
<p>I hug her back.</p>
<p>"They're scary" she says.</p>
<p>"What is?"</p>
<p>"Your eyes"</p>
<p>A ton of emotions flood through the room.</p>
<p>sadness, pity, confusion.</p>
<p>And all I could do was sit there and not even watch.</p>
<p>
  <em>Time Skip</em>
</p>
<p>It's been roughly two days since I woke up.</p>
<p>I thought that the fear of being blind would start to fade, but it only gets worse.</p>
<p>I don't know when people walk into my room, when they're going to touch me, hell, half the time I don't even know who I'm talking to.</p>
<p>I've had more than a few panic attacks, but they all said that was normal.</p>
<p>Nothing about this was <em>normal.</em></p>
<p>The usual nurse walks in and with her usual cheery voice said, "You got someone visiting you today."</p>
<p>She had a thick American accent, so it was difficult to understand her sometimes, but at least I always knew who I was talking to with that accent.</p>
<p>"Who is it?" I say. I hadn't been allowed visitors since I woke up, so this was a shock to me.</p>
<p>"Come on now, you know I can't pronounce Japanese names very well."</p>
<p>"Shoyuh...Hin...ta?"</p>
<p>She says, stuttering a lot.</p>
<p>"Shouyo Hinata!?" I say, fixing her mistakes.</p>
<p>"Yeah, that's the one... oh there he is now, I'll leave you two alone."</p>
<p>Now? <em>Now? </em>I thought I'd at least get some time to prepare myself. Before I could wrap my head around what was happening, the leather on the guest chair squeaks.</p>
<p>What was he going to say? What was he going to do? Where even was he?</p>
<p>Suddenly, I felt small hands on mine. I refrain from flinching as to not scare him too much, since that seems to be happening a lot.</p>
<p>The hands were cold but comforting. They were rough, like they'd been scratched or cut.</p>
<p>"Hinata?" I say softly, it was almost a whisper.</p>
<p>There's a short silence.</p>
<p>"You came back" I hear. The voice was coming from my right side. I turn, expecting to see the ginger ball of sunshine who I'd thought of almost everyday since I woke up.</p>
<p>Why I thought of him was a mystery to me.</p>
<p>Instead of the boy I'd seen almost everyday, I saw nothing, just like what I'd seen for what feels like eternity.</p>
<p>"You came back" he repeats. "You came back."</p>
<p>"Dumbass" I say, squeezing his hand tighter. "I never left."</p>
<p>Even though I couldn't see it, the mood of the room lifts. He pulls away from my hand and the leather squeaks again, like he'd gotten up.</p>
<p>"Kageyama!!!" He says loudly. That makes me jump. "I missed you! It's been so lonely in practice without your grumbling but still! It's felt like forever."</p>
<p>I crack a smile. There he was. The hyper Hinata I've always known.</p>
<p>"Of course it'd be lonely without me!" I say, trying to match his enthusiastic attitude. It's the happiest I'd felt in days. "Who else's tosses would you be able to hit?"</p>
<p>I reach out. I didn't know how close Hinata was. I ended up grabbing his face. It was wet. I pull away quickly.</p>
<p>"Are you... crying?"</p>
<p>"No! Of course I'm not crying! Why would I be crying!"</p>
<p>He was totally crying. I've seen a lot from the days that I could see, but never in a million years did I think that I'd ever be in the presence of a crying Hinata.</p>
<p>"Can I ask you something?" I say.</p>
<p>"Of course, anything."</p>
<p>"My eyes...are they really that scary?"</p>
<p>What my sister said has been bugging me a lot, even if she didn't mean it like that, it's all I've been thinking about.</p>
<p>I've seen blind eyes before. My uncle was blind before he died from old age. They were every bit as scary as I thought they would be.</p>
<p>Do I really look like <em>that?</em></p>
<p>Hinata grabs my face a little. I try not to flinch but end up doing so anyways.</p>
<p>"They're different" he starts. "But I don't think they're scary at all. To be honest, they're pretty cool."</p>
<p>That's definitely not what I expected.</p>
<p>"C...cool?"</p>
<p>"Yeah! Like superhero cool!"</p>
<p>When he says it like that, it makes me feel extra cool.</p>
<p>"How do you think the rest of the team will react to them?"</p>
<p>He pauses.</p>
<p>"They might be a little taken a back a first, but I think they'll get used to it. But you don't have to worry about them. Baby steps Kageyama, baby steps." </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. New Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>Hinata comes to visit almost everyday now. Daichi and Suga came to visit once, but other than that it's just been calls or texts.</p><p>That's to be expected though. Who wants to see the blind kid, not when he can't even see you.</p><p>"Mr. Tobio!" A familiar voice says, as the door clicks open, and the bells on the door cling together, indicating that someone's walked in. It's the American nurse.</p><p>"I have some good news for you!"</p><p>"What's going on?"</p><p>"You're being released tomorrow."</p><p>I almost fall off my bed. Tomorrow? That soon? It's only been about five days, or so I'm told.</p><p>"Miss, I've only gotten up a couple of times, sure I can walk now but I can't see!"</p><p>"Plenty of people can't see kid, it's my job to show you how to see."</p><p><em>Show </em>me how to see? What's that supposed to mean?</p><p>She puts something around my wrist and into my hand. It feels like a large stick.</p><p>"Stand up" she says. "Now this is a cane, I'm sure you've heard of it. When you're walking, <em>this</em> is your eyes. Move it left and right, in the opposite direction to which you're stepping, like this."</p><p>She nudges my foot forward and moves the cane in the opposite direction of my footing.</p><p>"Just like that" she says, and let's go of the cane.</p><p>Oh no. Where am I? What did she say? I haven't stood up by myself since I got there.</p><p>"Calm down, I'm right here."</p><p>I take a deep breath and move forward in the same way she told me to. It was surprisingly comfortable, and somehow not too hard.</p><p>On about the fourth step, I hit a wall.</p><p>"This rooms small, but where you'll walk they'll be plenty of obstacles. Use the cane to trace around it until you reach its end."</p><p>I do so, sliding the cane to my right. I feel the doors slight bump.</p><p>"Good" she says. "Now just keep practicing."</p><p>We do, she takes me down the hall and around the hospital, and tells me what I would of been seeing.</p><p>We end up outside, sitting on a bench. It's around 10:24 a.m. now.</p><p>"I heard you play volleyball" she starts."</p><p>I flinch. That's all I've been trying not to think about now. I feel a lump in my throat, but resist tears.</p><p>"Yeah." I say, "Hinatas on my team."</p><p>"Really? That kid? He's so short though." She laughs a little.</p><p>"Miss, do you ever think I can play again?"</p><p>There's a short pause, and a heavy silence.</p><p>She continues, "It's going to take a lot of work, and you might not be able to play like you used to but..."</p><p>She trails off.</p><p>"But what?"</p><p>"I'm sure you'll find a way!"</p><p>Are all nurses this enthusiastic? It doesn't matter. If she says there's hope, I believe her. After all doctors are supposed to be smart right?</p><p>"Kageyama?" Says a voice as footsteps approach us.</p><p>"Is that you Hinata?"</p><p>"Sure is! Wow, what's that cool looking stick you got there?"</p><p>He lifts up the cane, not knowing that it's tied around my wrist. I take it off and give it to him.</p><p>"That's a cane, sweetie." The American doctor says.</p><p>"Oh, hi Miss...sorry I guess I still don't know how to pronounce your name."</p><p>She explains everything thats happening, and of course, Hinata gets ecstatic.</p><p>Kageyama! You're coming back to school tomorrow!"</p><p>"No, dumbass, we don't even have school tomorrow! I'm going <em>home</em> tomorrow. I'm coming back to school on Monday."</p><p>He stayed until late, since it was Friday. I told him that he should go home and get some sleep, after all he comes here a lot and barely gets anytime to himself, but he assured my that it was ok.</p><p>I must've fallen asleep when we got back to the room, because I woke up when it was dark, or at least, what seemed darker than this morning.</p><p>It was quiet. I was scared. I didn't know where I was. Was I in my room? Was I home?</p><p>I started to frantically look left and right and ended up starting to have a panic attack.</p><p>'Breathe' I said to myself, trying to be quiet. 'Breathe, breathe, breathe-'</p><p>"Kageyama? Are you alright?" Hinata. That was Hinata.</p><p>"Where are you?" I said through tears.</p><p>I felt someone touch my hand.</p><p>"Don't worry...I'm right here."</p><p>I hugged him impulsively and cried until I fell asleep.</p><p>
  <em>Time Skip</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>My alarm goes off, loudly. </p><p>"It's too early!" I say to it, "Shut up!" Before turning it off.</p><p>I lay back down, and remember that Kageyamas coming to school today.</p><p>It hasn't been too difficult pretending to not worry around him, since he can't see and all.</p><p>It's regularly that I think about how life's going to be now.</p><p>I've been practicing my spiking with Suga, and although we don't 'match' too well, it's coming along, not too fast but coming.</p><p>I get up, and not wanting breakfast walk out the door. I haven't eaten a lot recently, I haven't had the appetite. But I wasn't hungry, so it shouldn't matter too much.</p><p>I grab my bike like I did every morning. Instead of going straight to school though, I park it at the bottom of the hill, and walk past to kageyamas house.</p><p>I told him that I was going to walk him to school, he seemed to like the idea, despite being...you know, Kageyama.</p><p>When I got there he was waiting outside with his sister and holding his cane.</p><p>"Hello, you must be Tobio's friend, I've heard a lot about you" Miwa says. "Wow you really are short."</p><p>"It's nice to meet you," I say bowing slightly and ignoring her last comment.</p><p>"Did you eat, dumbass" Kageyama says.</p><p>"Of course I did" I say. I didn't.</p><p>"What's this?"</p><p>"It has a bell on it, lets him know where you are."</p><p>I wrap it around my wrist and thank her. She leaves.</p><p>"You ready to go?" I say to Kageyama.</p><p>"Yeah... sure."</p><p>I loop my arms making a triangle shape, and Kageyama grabs it a little, just like we'd practiced in the hospital.</p><p>Even though he had the cane, he was still clueless as ever.</p><p>It wasn't a long walk, about fifteen minutes or so. To Kageyama it may of felt like an eternity.</p><p>As we're about to go through the Karasuno gates, he stops.</p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>"I...I don't know about this."</p><p>"Don't know about what?"</p><p>"I don't even know what to do? Surely I can't take classes like I normally do."</p><p>"Don't worry about it, I got your schedule right here. It's not the classes you normally take, but I'll be here for today."</p><p>"Not my normal classes? What's that supposed to mean?"</p><p>"If you think about it too long they'll be over, let's go."</p><p>I nudge him forward. I feel bad for it, but dwelling on its not good for him.</p><p>'It's going to be a long day' I think to myself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. First Times</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p>
<p>Even without sight, I could feel all eyes on me.</p>
<p>It was quieter than the Karasuno I knew, there were more whispers than voices.</p>
<p>It wasn't like anyone at Karasuno particularly liked or disliked me, I just wasn't used to the amount of nonverbal attention I was getting.</p>
<p>"We're just outside the main building Kageyama." He says, and signs us both in, before saying we're going to go up the elevator.</p>
<p>"Are we even allowed to?"</p>
<p>"Of course we're allowed to, You haven't even touched stairs since-"</p>
<p>
  <em>Ding</em>
</p>
<p>"It's here."</p>
<p>During the ride up, he explains what's going to happen during the day.</p>
<p>"Alright, so first period you have a meeting with the vice principal and second is a private study session, then it's break time obviously. And then the counselor will see you third and fourth and finally they said you can go home early."</p>
<p>"It'd be great if you took this much time in your studies" I joke. He doesn't say anything.</p>
<p>The elevator dings, indicating that the doors have opened. We walk out and he takes me around.</p>
<p>The day was long and tiring. The meeting with the vice principal was awkward. <em>'congratulations, son'</em> he said, although I'm confused as to what he's congratulating me about.</p>
<p>Nothing about this is worth celebrating.</p>
<p>The private study session was an introduction to braille. I didn't get it at all. I could barely read when I <em>could</em> see, and this was harder than learning english.</p>
<p>Throughout the breaks and counseling and whatever else I had to do during the day, Hinata was right there next to me.</p>
<p>"You know" I say during our lunch break as we go to the vending machine for some milk. "Maybe you should be focusing on your own studies."</p>
<p>He completely ignores me.</p>
<p>Which one so you want again?" He says.</p>
<p>"Are you even listening to me?"</p>
<p>"Of course I'm listening to you... the plain one was it?"</p>
<p>"Stop ignoring me."</p>
<p>I try to grab his shoulder, but end up grabbing his wrist. It was small, even for Hinata, it felt like I was holding a stick.</p>
<p>"Listen Kageyama, you need to focus on yourself today, and tomorrow and however long this lasts."</p>
<p>"They said it might last forever Hinata! Do you know how long that is?"</p>
<p>"I'm not talking about your blindness Kageyama!"</p>
<p>No one except the doctors have been so straight forward about it. It's like the word 'blind' is a bad word.</p>
<p>"Then what are you talking about?"<br/>"Don't play dumb with me. The breathing, the panic attacks, the constant look on your face that you're lost! I have no idea what you're going through and all I can do is be a guide! I hate seeing you like this Kageyama why can't you understand that! I want you to hit me and call me dumbass and set to me but you can't. <em>We</em> can't, I just can't..."</p>
<p>He trails off and falls to the ground. He's crying and not even trying to hide it.</p>
<p>I kneel down to what I think is next to him.</p>
<p>I hadn't thought about him at all, or at least his feelings toward the situation. I felt like a burden and I suppose I thought he felt the same.</p>
<p>"Hinata I-"</p>
<p>
  <em>Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding</em>
</p>
<p>The bell that indicates the end of lunch goes off.</p>
<p>"We should get going" Hinata says, sniffling and picking himself off the floor as well as me.</p>
<p>As he grabs my hand to help me up, the same roughness I felt at the hospital increased.</p>
<p>"Hinata...? Is there something. wrong with your hand?"</p>
<p>"It's nothing you should worry about!" He says putting on his normal cheery voice as if he wasn't so close to a breakdown just moments ago.</p>
<p>He tells me we're about to go through the gates when I ask,</p>
<p>"What about volleyball?"</p>
<p>His arm I'm holding jerks a little.</p>
<p>"Kageyama you-"</p>
<p>"E...Even if I can't play... I at least wanna see the guys, you know... well not see but... you know what I mean."</p>
<p>He chuckles a little.</p>
<p>"Yeah! Come on!"</p>
<p>He fast walks to the gym, though it almost feels like jogging. Even the little things feel like marathons ever since I woke up.</p>
<p>As Hinata opens the gym doors, the room falls silent.</p>
<p>
  <em>Third Person</em>
</p>
<p>When the door slammed open, the team was just expecting to see Hinata, who had told them that he was going to drop Kageyama home before coming.</p>
<p>"Hey hinata what's- ...Kageyama?!"</p>
<p>The room fell silent and all eyes were on Kageyama, who's hand had a cane in it and who's eyes were white and empty.</p>
<p>"H...Hey guys" he says, wanting to make eye contact with someone, but obviously not knowing whether he's creepily staring at someone or looking into space.</p>
<p>The silence in the room dropped, when everyone crowded Kageyama.</p>
<p>"Kageyama!" Tanaka and Noya screamed, grabbing onto one arm each.</p>
<p>Of course Kageyama wasn't used to being touched suddenly yet, but he didn't hate it since they weren't trying <em>not </em>to touch him.</p>
<p>"Looks like you're alive after all" Tsukishima says.</p>
<p>"What, were you worried about me?" Kageyama says mockingly.</p>
<p>"Of course I-... WASN'T."</p>
<p>"Mhmm yeah sure."</p>
<p>They exchanged words and laughs, before Daichi finally said. "Alright everyone, let's get ready for practice."</p>
<p>Kageyama stopped. "Uh Daichi I-"</p>
<p>"We can talk about this later" Daichi whispered to him.</p>
<p>"But I'm fine to-"</p>
<p>"Let's go Kageyama" Hinata says pulling on his arm.</p>
<p>"Let go of me, Hinata. Daichi I'm fine to train-"</p>
<p>The door slammed shut and the two of them left.</p>
<p>The walk back to Kageyama's house was silent.</p>
<p>They got to the bottom of the hill when Kageyama said, "I could've stayed you know. By the time you come here and go back practice will be half way finished."</p>
<p>"It doesn't matter" Hinata retaliates.</p>
<p>"Of course it matters! Why wouldn't it?!"</p>
<p>"It's not like I'm going to be a regular for much longer."</p>
<p>"What's <em>that </em>supposed to mean?"</p>
<p>"The only reason I'm a regular is because of you. You <em>do </em>know that don't you. Don't get me wrong I'm going to keep playing and trying to be better so that I can be a regular without you but... the way things are going it might be a bit harder than I thought."</p>
<p>Kageyama didn't agree with a lot of what Hinata was saying, but he couldn't find the words to say to him.</p>
<p>"<em>You</em> can't say things like that" Kageyama says in his regular teasing voice.</p>
<p>"Huh?"</p>
<p>"I thought you were supposed to be the positive one."</p>
<p>"What's that supposed to mean?"</p>
<p>"'I'm not going to be a regular, because I'm soooo bad' that's basically what you're telling me."</p>
<p>"I didn't say that."</p>
<p>"You so did."</p>
<p>"So what, you don't think I'm bad?"</p>
<p>"No I- ... Well I didn't... Shut up!"</p>
<p>Hinata started laughing and for that moment, Kageyama totally forgot about his lack of sight. In that moment it was just like any other day. In that moment I could see.</p>
<p>But that moment ended when they reached his house.</p>
<p>"We're here" Hinata says, dropping him to his front door. "Your sister should be home, you good to go?"</p>
<p>"Of course I'm good to go. You go to practice now, without me you need to do <em>double </em>the practice, not half."</p>
<p>When Hinata left, Miwa took Kageyama and put him in his room. After she left Kageyama started breathing heavily.</p>
<p>'What's wrong with me' he thought to himself, calming himself down with some techniques he learnt at the hospital. 'I love to be alone. No. I <em>loved</em> to be alone. But being alone nor is... terrifying.'</p>
<p>With no sight and no one to talk to, Kageyama was left with himself, his bed and the volleyball on his bedside table.</p>
<p>He picks it up and throws it in the air, before realizing he doesn't know when to catch it.</p>
<p>It ends up falling to his face and onto the floor.</p>
<p>He gets up and picks it up. "I guess there's a first time for everything" he says, before grabbing his cane and going out the door.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Wise Words</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>I had my ball in my left hand and my cane in my right.</p><p>It was the first time I've walked by myself since I came back from the hospital.</p><p>I knew my way to school pretty well, or so I thought.</p><p>When I used my cane to touch what I thought was the entrance to karasuno, I hit a wall.</p><p>"What the hell?" I said to myself. I followed the wall, and that lead to a door.</p><p>"Uhh, excuse me" I said possibly to no one.</p><p>After all, I had no idea where I was.</p><p>The door had a bell on it, and it seemed like a corner shop.</p><p>"Hello son." The person who seemed like a shopkeeper said. "What can I do for you?"</p><p>"I...Is this Karasuno?"</p><p>"Fraid' not kiddo, that's in the opposite direction."</p><p>crap</p><p>"S...Sorry for troubling you sir-"</p><p>"Did somebody say <em>Karasuno?</em>"</p><p>A door, which sounded like it was from the other side of the room, opened. </p><p>The voice that came out of it was annoyingly familiar.</p><p>"T...Tobio-chan?" It said.</p><p>"You know this young man, Tooru?" the shopkeeper said.</p><p>Tooru? Am I in the Aoba Johsai area?</p><p>"Is that you Oikawa?"</p><p>I can't remember exactly what happened after that, but somehow we ended up on a park bench.</p><p>"Is that your dad's shop?" I say breaking the silence.</p><p>"It's my uncle's actually. My dad's in Fukushima for work... I heard about your little accident."</p><p>"Who hasn't? Everyone at school is avoiding me like the black plague. They won't even let me play!"</p><p>"What? Volleyball? What makes you think they'd let you play?"</p><p>"I-I dunno! I at least thought they'd let me stay or something!"</p><p>"Have you thought about it?"</p><p>"Thought about what?"</p><p>"How you're going to play."</p><p>"Like I normally do of course."</p><p>"I thought you were smarter than that Tobio-chan. You can't play like you did before."</p><p>I'd been impulsively speaking until now. How <em>am</em> I going to train. I can't even throw the ball up and catch it, how could I be so stupid to think I could.</p><p>"Enough about that" Oikawa says, clearly noticing my confusion. "How's Chibi-chan taking all of this?"</p><p>"Chibi-chan? Oh you mean Hinata. yeah, fine I guess."</p><p>"You sure about that? I saw him a couple of days ago, he didn't look so good."</p><p>"H...How so?"</p><p>"He was pale and thin, even for him and he was scratching his hand really aggressively, I seriously thought they were going to bleed."</p><p>There was an awkward silence after that. I knew he regretted what he said.</p><p>"I- uhh can I ask you something?" I say to him, slightly embarrassed.</p><p>"Sure. Why not" he says, clearly having nothing better to do than answer my questions.</p><p>"Can you... help me" I whisper.</p><p>"Huh? What was that?"</p><p>"Can you help me train?" I say a little bit louder.</p><p>"Hmph" he says, even not being able to see him, I can picture his smug face. "I thought you'd never ask."</p><p>
  <em>Oikawa POV</em>
</p><p>Any other day I'd turn down his request in a heartbeat, but seeing him blind and lost really started to piss me off, and I didn't even have to hide my annoyed face.</p><p>So much talent wasted in a house fire. I thought I'd be the tiniest bit content. That person that I've almost killed myself to beat is now suddenly not able to play?</p><p>It's sick. It makes <em>me</em> sick. If anything, more than ever now, I <em>want</em> to see him play.</p><p>We get to Aoba Johsai gym hall. We learnt about how to handle blind people in health class last year, so I guess you could say I was pretty good at it.</p><p>I tell him to wait by the side of the gym. Since I was a third year and a captain, I could take the keys and get into the gym quite easily.</p><p>I went to the storage room while he waited, and got a hollow ball with a bell in it. I handed it to him.</p><p>"What's this?"</p><p>"Shake it."</p><p>He does, and seems surprised to hear a bell in it.</p><p>"Is this-"</p><p>"You can't go back to playing straight away" I say, interrupting his sentence which I knew was going to be stupid. "Start with this."</p><p>"Why does your school even have this?"</p><p>"We're a private school, we have everything."</p><p>I help him for a little while. We did serves and hits, he wanted to set but that was the dumbest thing I've heard anyone say.</p><p>The point of setting, and his sets especially, is to <em>see</em> the spiker.</p><p>Of course I would never say this to his face.</p><p>It got pretty late when I offered to walk him home. I didn't expect him to say yes, but he did.</p><p>I guess getting lost on his way to Karasuno really scared him.</p><p>It's a funny thought. 'The King of the Court Kageyama Tobio' getting scared of being lost.</p><p>I guess being blind is a lot harder than it seems.</p><p>We get to the bottom of the hill, when I see Hinata getting on his bike.</p><p>"Chibi-chan?" I say to him. He turns around and looks worse than he did last time I saw him.</p><p>He looked tired and pale and almost like a twig that could snap by accident. I looked at his hands. They had dried blood on them.</p><p>"Grand King!" He said, in his normal cheery voice, which I thought was weird giving the state he was in. "Kageyama? What are you doing here, with him?"</p><p>"I-" Kageyama started. "You see I sorta-"</p><p>"He got lost trying to get to Karasuno and ended up at my uncle's shop. I just walked him home" I said, not mentioning the volleyball part.</p><p>I'm sure Chibi will just get more anxious.</p><p>"I see" he says. "Are you alright taking him back home?"</p><p>I give him a thumbs up and we go on our way. When he was out of sight, I took the bell ball out of my hand and gave it to Tobio.</p><p>"You took this? Are you allowed to?"</p><p>"Nope" I say and smile at him, forgetting that he couldn't see.</p><p>He bows to me slightly before walking to his house.</p><p>I message him shortly after coming back to my uncle's shop. There's a sort of 'blind feature' on his phone that reads messages out to him so I thought it wouldn't be a problem.</p><p>
  <em>Oikawa: Hey, Tobio-chan</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama: Yeah... What's up?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oikawa: Hey this might be a little strange to ask but I can help you on Mondays since we don't have training.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama: Woah, are you serious? Are you drunk?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oikawa: No I'm not drunk! Do you want the help or not?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama: Of course I do. Thanks a lot.</em>
</p><p>Being the good senpai I am, of course I would help him. Maybe it was pointless but not giving such a prodigy another chance would just be wasteful.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Damn It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p>
<p>Its been two weeks since my meeting with Oikawa.</p>
<p>My anxiety has grown significantly, and I keep praying it'll go away. I seriously thought I'd be used to being blind by now.</p>
<p>Braille is a lot harder to learn than I thought. They told me that it was a lot easier to lean while young, but since I used to be sighted, it's not as simple.</p>
<p>Ever since that Monday when Oikawa gave me the bell ball, I've been using it nonstop.</p>
<p>I haven't told Hinata or the rest of Karasuno about it. It's not like I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm training, I just don't want to tell them that I got lost and that Oikawa gave it to me.</p>
<p>I stayed at practice on Friday, since no one was home and I didn't want to slow Hinata down more than I already did.</p>
<p>He still walks with me, although I told him that it's fine. It's Saturday now.</p>
<p>I was throwing the bell ball up and down, doing reasonably well when the doorbell rang.</p>
<p>"Tobio!" my mum says. "Hinatas here!"</p>
<p>I almost drop the ball, before quickly throwing it under my bed.</p>
<p>"Kageyama, you up there?" He says as I hear him walk up the stairs.</p>
<p>"U...uh, yeah."</p>
<p>He walks into my room, as he does I hear the bell bracelet my sister gave him.</p>
<p>"I got you a little something."</p>
<p>"<em>You</em> did?"</p>
<p>"Well it actually wasn't me. It was Tsukishima actually. 'That King better get better soon or I'm going to kill him' or something like that."</p>
<p>"So he <em>is </em>worried about me."</p>
<p>"We all are, stupid."</p>
<p>"What is it?"</p>
<p>He puts something on my face.</p>
<p>"What the- what is this?"</p>
<p>"Sunglasses."</p>
<p>"What's it for, to hide my eyes or something?"</p>
<p>"No not exactly. It's to help with some kind of... sun rays?"</p>
<p>"Why should that matter, I can't see anyway."</p>
<p>"I don't know, Tsukishima said that once you <em>do </em>get your sight back, it'll help."</p>
<p>Once I <em>do</em>? They don't even know if I will.</p>
<p>Of course, I would never remind him of that.</p>
<p>"H...how do they look?" I say, slightly nervous for his response.</p>
<p>"Pretty cool actually!" he says, in a happy tone.</p>
<p>"Like a superhero cool?"</p>
<p>"Nah, like super<em>villain </em>cool!"</p>
<p>I smile or at least try to. I was thinking of holding off asking Hinata this, but giving the mood he was in it couldn't hurt.</p>
<p>"Hey Hinata... I think I'm going to try and go home by myself on Monday."</p>
<p>I didn't want to, but I'm training with Oikawa on Mondays, and I don't really want him to see me. Not again.</p>
<p>"Sure" he says. I'm surprised he did to be honest, he's always been paranoid, especially now that I'm blind.</p>
<p>"You wanna go for a walk?"</p>
<p>
  <em>Time Skip: Tuesday</em>
</p>
<p>Yesterday was a disaster.</p>
<p>I got lost <em>again</em> on my way to Aoba Johsai, and had to call Oikawa for help. It was humiliating.</p>
<p>Training with him didn't go well either, even with the bell ball.</p>
<p>"Oikawa?" I asked him. "Can I try using a <em>real</em> ball?"</p>
<p>"Of course you can't" he told me. "You can't even use the bell ball."</p>
<p>This sucks. Like <em>really </em>sucks.</p>
<p>What he said wasn't true. The bell ball isn't helping at all. I need a real ball. A ball I was familiar with.</p>
<p>I was sitting waiting for Hinata during Karasuno's practice. Just hearing the sounds made me feel better.</p>
<p>The ball hitting the ground. The squeak of shoes. The cheers of my teammates. I missed it all so much.</p>
<p>We got halfway through practice when I got an idea.</p>
<p>After training, everyone had already left except for Suga and Hinata, who were practicing spiking.</p>
<p>"Hinata" Suga said. "You have to <em>wait </em>for the ball, it's not just going to... come to you."</p>
<p>"I know that!" He said, loudly and annoyed. "I- I umm. Sorry."</p>
<p>"Oh shoot!" Suga said. "Look at the time, I gotta run."</p>
<p>He leaves, and I hear Hinata picking up balls.</p>
<p>"Shit!" he whispers.</p>
<p>I walk down to the first floor and reach into my bag. "I umm-"</p>
<p>He stops and comes up to me. "Yeah, what is it?"</p>
<p>"I think I left my braille book in the west wing."</p>
<p>"Really? Where is it?"</p>
<p>"On my desk next to the window."</p>
<p>"Alright, wait here. I'll get it."</p>
<p>He leaves.</p>
<p>Finally. I walk up to where he was picking up balls and reach for one myself.</p>
<p>It feels so good. Not like the one I have at home, but like a <em>real </em>one.</p>
<p>The one I've set so many times.</p>
<p>The one I've shared so many memories with</p>
<p>The one I'll probably never see again.</p>
<p>Regardless, I throw it up, like I normally do, and try to hit it. I get scared when I forget there's no bell in it, stumble and fall to the ground.</p>
<p>I'm pissed.</p>
<p>I take some more and do the same, but end up hitting the <em>air </em>with full strength, not the ball.</p>
<p>'Damn it!' I say, after each failed hit.</p>
<p>
  <em>Hit</em>
</p>
<p>'Damn it'</p>
<p>
  <em>Hit</em>
</p>
<p>'Damn it'</p>
<p>
  <em>Hit</em>
</p>
<p>'Damn it'</p>
<p>The west wing is at least ten minutes there and back.</p>
<p>Each missed hit, I get more and more frustrated.</p>
<p>I want to hit it.</p>
<p>
  <em>'Damn it!!!'</em>
</p>
<p>I should be able to hit it.</p>
<p>
  <em>'Damn it!!!!'</em>
</p>
<p>I <em>need</em> to be able to hit it.</p>
<p>
  <em>'Damn it!!!!!'</em>
</p>
<p>I need to hit it.</p>
<p>"DAMN IT!" I scream at the top of my lungs and throw it up for the last time.</p>
<p>I grunt and swing, just like I'd been doing for the last god knows how long.</p>
<p>To my surprise, I make contact with the ball.</p>
<p>It makes contact with all of my hand.</p>
<p>My palm, my five fingers.</p>
<p>I flick it down, just like I'd been doing my whole life.</p>
<p>This hit however, wasn't satisfying.</p>
<p>It wasn't enlightening.</p>
<p>It wasn't even remotely enjoyable.</p>
<p>It was a fluke.</p>
<p>It was a failure.</p>
<p>It was useless.</p>
<p>It was helpless.</p>
<p>It was me.</p>
<p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p>
<p>"DAMN IT!" I hear Kageyama scream from inside the gym.</p>
<p>I drop what's in my hands and run to the door.</p>
<p>"Kageyama are you-"</p>
<p>As I run in, a ball hits the floor.</p>
<p>It was fast and strong. Faster and stronger than Asahi, no, than <em>Ushiwaka</em>.</p>
<p>"Kageyama did you-"</p>
<p>"DAMN IT!"  He repeats even louder.</p>
<p>I thought he'd be happy.</p>
<p>I thought the first ball he'd hit would make him happy.</p>
<p>He looked stressed.</p>
<p>He looked defeated.</p>
<p>He was crying.</p>
<p>He fell to the floor and cried, hitting the floor, hard multiple times. He just screamed 'damn it'.</p>
<p>He was having a breakdown.</p>
<p>He'd been so strong this whole time, I wanna kick myself for not noticing his pain sooner.</p>
<p>I was so focused on how he was going to cope with being blind I didn't think about his mental health.</p>
<p>"Kageyama stop-"</p>
<p>I kneel down to him and grab his wrist.</p>
<p>He gets scared, and flinches.</p>
<p>I forgot he couldn't see me, or even hear me approaching.</p>
<p>The face he made was enough to make me terrified.</p>
<p>He was more than stressed or defeated. His face was scared, it was anxious, it was like the world fell from his eyes.</p>
<p>"Kageyama, please calm down-"</p>
<p>"DON'T FUCKING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN-"</p>
<p>He says, and punches me in the face, with at least double the strength he was hitting the ground with.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Give it Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>He punches me in the face, with at least double the strength he was hitting the ground.</p><p>I fall back, and he looks at me not saying a word. I feel my face. My nose and mouth are bleeding badly, along with some of my skin.</p><p>"DON'T FUCKING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!"</p><p>He screams.</p><p>"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE. I'M USELESS HINATA! I CAN'T FUCKING SEE! I CAN'T DO ANYTHING BY MYSELF. HOW CAN YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN WHEN <em>YOU </em>CAN SEE JUST FINE! I'M TRAPPED IN THIS DARK PLACE AND I CAN'T GET OUT. I WANT TO GET OUT, I WANT TO... I want to..."</p><p>The adrenaline that caused him to say that must've run out, because he went into a sudden state of exhaustion.</p><p>He fell to the ground and huffed and puffed.</p><p>I went up to him, honestly a little scared that he might hit me again. </p><p>As soon as I got close, he punched me again, for the sole purpose of letting out his anger.</p><p>He punched me again.</p><p>And again.</p><p>And again.</p><p>I let him. It was the least I could do.</p><p>When I expect him to lunge at me, he doesn't. Instead he hugs me hard, and cries into my blood stained top.</p><p>"Give it back" he whispers, still tugging on my shirt. "Please give it back."</p><p>I pull his head close and rub his back, trying to comfort him.</p><p>"I'm right here." I say. "Kageyama I'm right-"</p><p>"Liar" he whispers, and pulls away from me. "Liar! I can't see you, how do I know you're there?!"</p><p>I ring the bell on my wrist and he jerks up a little.</p><p>If I could do something to comfort him, I would even if just ringing a bell.</p><p>He was exhausted. He cried into my jacket for a bit before I leant him against the wall to rest.</p><p>I packed up the balls and cleaned up my face, which was still bleeding very badly. I had a good feeling something was broken.</p><p>I figured it was no big deal, since nothing could be more broken than the Kageyama I just saw.</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>I woke up in a hospital bed, like I did almost always recently.</p><p>I could tell by the familiar toughness of the bed and the smell of sanitizer.</p><p>Recognizing places by their smell is becoming second nature for me now.</p><p>This time however, when I tried to get up, it wasn't wires or tubes holding me down, but rather, a literal restraint.</p><p>"What the..."</p><p>"Tobio-chan... are you awake?"</p><p>"Is that you Oikawa?"</p><p>"You're folks and sister are at work, and I was your next emergency contact besides Hinata."</p><p>I couldn't remember much about what happened to me to get me here.</p><p>Why isn't Hinata here?</p><p>"Where <em>is </em>Hinata?" I finally ask him.</p><p>"Y...you don't remember?"</p><p>"Not really... no."</p><p>"You had a bit of a breakdown Tobio-chan."</p><p>A bit of a breakdown? In front of Hinata? No that can't be right, I always refrain from crying when I'm not by myself.</p><p>"Well... I wouldn't say a <em>bit</em> of a breakdown." He continues. "Scared the living shit out of me personally."</p><p>"That didn't answer my question... where's Hinata?"</p><p>"I really don't think you want to know."</p><p>"Oikawa."</p><p>"You better rest up before seeing him, I mean you look so bad."</p><p>"Oikawa."</p><p>"Plus, it hasn't even been that long since-"</p><p>"Please Oikawa."</p><p>He stops, and sighs.</p><p>"You broke his nose." he starts. "And fractured his cheekbone... and very minorly injured his jaw."</p><p>I move my hand to punch myself, but am stopped by the leather restraints.</p><p>Instead, I hit my head against my pillow.</p><p>It all comes flooding back to me.</p><p>What I did.</p><p>To both him and myself.</p><p>I break into a sweat thinking about it.</p><p>"Don't worry about it Tobio... he doesn't hate you."</p><p>"C...can I see him?"</p><p>"No but he can see you, I'll go bring him, he wanted to see you too."</p><p>About an hour later, when the doctors explained what happened and took the restraints off of me when I was stable, Oikawa came in with Hinata.</p><p>Hinata sat on my bed and Oikawa left the room, leaving us alone together.</p><p>I get up.</p><p>"H...Hinata."</p><p>"Hey Kageyama, are you feeling any better?"</p><p>I go to touch his face. When I do, he jerks back, not with fear, but with pain.</p><p>"That's a good punch you got there" He says while giggling. "Lucky you didn't use that in games though, otherwise could've replaced me easily."</p><p>He was talking happily, but quietly. I remember his injured jaw.</p><p>"I...I'm feeling much better, thanks" I say. "And what about you?"</p><p>"Forget about me. You know I'm fine."</p><p>"Hinata I...I'm sorry."</p><p>"Please. I'm fine are you-"</p><p>"You're not fine."</p><p>I pause.</p><p>"You're not fine."</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>He was right. I wasn't fine' Not by a long shot. But he said it himself. How can I tell him to calm down when I can see?</p><p>Compared to him, I'm as happy as can be.</p><p>"I can't see" he says. "But you can show me."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Can You Show Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>"I can't see" he says. "But can you show me?"</p><p>In that moment I knew exactly what he meant. I took his hand, and with it, I traced the deep scratches I'd been giving myself this whole time.</p><p>I hadn't intentionally been cutting myself, but the way things are it sort of just worked out like that.</p><p>There were deep ones on my knuckles and back wrist, and minor ones to go around.</p><p>"Why are your hands so thin?" he says.</p><p>I genuinely didn't want to respond.</p><p>"I umm-"</p><p>"Mr. Tobio!" The American lady walks in.</p><p>I quickly release his hands and we jerk back from each other.</p><p>"Hinata, I'm going to ask you to leave now," she says, "they need you to sign release papers."</p><p>"You're parents aren't here?" Kageyama says.</p><p>"Alright" I say to the lady, bowing. "Get well soon Kageyama."</p><p>When I got down to the lobby, most of the team was already there.</p><p>"What're you guys doing here?" I ask.</p><p>"Jeez Hinata" Tsukishima says. "You look <em>bad</em>."</p><p>"Do I really?" I say. I hadn't thought about what other people might think when they see my face. I touch it out of self consciousness, and flinch a little from the pain.</p><p>"Did you guys hear what happened?" I ask.</p><p>"No, not really" Tanaka says. "Suga and Daichi aren't telling us what's going on, they just said that you got hurt."</p><p>That's a relief. I wonder what the team would do if they knew <em>Kageyama</em> did this.</p><p>Would they be scared of him?</p><p>Would they think I'm weak?</p><p>Either way, it's good that they don't know.</p><p>"It's really not a big deal" I say. "I had a pretty bad accident while riding my bike and since I had to go to the hospital anyways, Kageyama is staying for a checkup."</p><p>A pretty damn good lie if I do say so myself.</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>The doctor did some normal checkups.</p><p>Both for my eyes and my hands which were hurt from hitting both the floor and Hinata.</p><p>"And that should do it" she says, before leading me down to the front desk where my parents were waiting for me.</p><p>They showered me with millions of questions before taking me home.</p><p>The next day, my sister dropped me to school.</p><p>"What are you doing?" I asked her. "Where's Hinata?"</p><p>"He umm..." she started. "He said he couldn't come today."</p><p>A huge lump formed in my throat. He hadn't missed a day since my accident.</p><p>I'm sure he was released from the hospital on the first day, so why wasn't he here?</p><p>Each step on the way to school, was one hole dig deeper into my thoughts.</p><p>Did something happen to him?</p><p>Did something happen with us?</p><p>Is he too scared to walk with me?</p><p>Is that the time I'll see him again?</p><p>I shake my head to clear my mind.</p><p>No that can't be true! He said he was fine.</p><p>Then again his nose was <em>broken</em>.</p><p>I shiver.</p><p>I really <em>am </em>stupid aren't I?</p><p>I went around by myself today. I was just starting to get used to it, although I had to ask occasionally 'where am I?'</p><p>When I got to practice, I ask the team.</p><p>"Is Hinata here today?"</p><p>Tanaka responded with, "He didn't walk with you? I wouldn't think he'd just leave you alone like that."</p><p>"That's what I thought too" I say.</p><p>"I didn't see him in the first year area" Yamaguchi says, throwing the ball to and from the wall. "Maybe he's skipping?"</p><p>"Nah" Tsukishima says, opening the door to come in. "You really think someone like <em>Hinata</em> would skip anything?"</p><p>"I mean, that accident did look pretty bad" Noya said.</p><p>  "A...accident?" I responded, confused.</p><p>"Yeah, you were there weren't you? He fell off his bike and messed up his face. I think he broke his nose. I didn't think Daichi would let him play after that."</p><p>I freeze up.</p><p>So he <em>didn't </em>tell them.</p><p>I thought it was weird that they weren't acting jumpy around me.</p><p>Well everyone except for Daichi and Suga.</p><p>I saw them earlier this morning, and it sounded like they were talking to a serial killer.</p><p>They're captains after all, I wouldn't be surprised if <em>they</em> knew.</p><p>I went home by myself that day.</p><p>And the next, since he didn't come that day either.</p><p>The day after that was a public holiday, and I decided that I was going to train, although I was terrified about a repeat of last time.</p><p>I gave Hinata a call, but he didn't pick up.</p><p>Neither did Oikawa, or Daichi for that matter.</p><p>I haven't heard from any of them in the past two days.</p><p>"Shit" I say to myself, putting my phone down and going to sleep.</p><p>
  <em>Time Skip: The Next Day</em>
</p><p>I woke up late. I couldn't get up. I was worried about everything.</p><p>"You awake, sleepyhead?"</p><p>I jump. That voice... I knew it.</p><p>"Hinata!" I spring out of bed. "Since when were you here?"</p><p>"Since like an hour ago."</p><p>"What? Did you have breakfast or something?"</p><p>"No. Your mum offered me but I said no."</p><p>"So you were just watching me sleep then?"</p><p>"I was taking pictures actually. It was hilarious."</p><p>I sigh.</p><p>"Go get changed," he continues. "You're coming with me. Cute boxers." He says giggling.</p><p>I realize then that I'm standing in front of him half naked.</p><p>"Dumbass!" I scream at him. "You could've at least said something!"</p><p>I get changed and he leads me out of the house.</p><p>"Thanks Miss Kageyama" he says before leaving.</p><p>"So where are you taking me?" I ask.</p><p>"You'll know when we get there."</p><p>"Also, where have you been the past two days! I thought you might of been dead."</p><p>"Aw Kageyama were you worried about me?"</p><p>"Of course not dumbass!"</p><p>We walk on a path that seemed oddly familiar. We were going to Karasuno.</p><p>"Hey..." I say awkwardly as we're about five minutes from the gym. "Have you been avoiding me?"</p><p>"Avoiding you?" He asks, questionably. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"What do you mean 'what do you mean'? I haven't heard from you in two days."</p><p>"Is that right? ... Sorry, I was sort of busy."</p><p>He nervously giggles.</p><p>I stop and stand, and so does he when he realizes I'm not moving.</p><p>"Are you..." I start. "Scared of me?"</p><p>There's a long silence. Just when I thought he'd up and left, he bursts out laughing.</p><p>"What's so funny, Hinata!"</p><p>He says through laughs, "Sorry! Sorry I just- Didn't expect you to say that! Why would I be scared of <em>you</em>?"</p><p>"I'm blind and even I can tell what I did to your face! Stop laughing."</p><p>"Is that seriously what you thought this whole time!" That's ridiculous!"</p><p>"But Hinata you-"</p><p>"Stop it before you make me pass out, let's go, we're nearly there."</p><p>He practically pulls me the whole way there.</p><p>"Alright he says. "We're just outside the gym. Open the door when you're ready."</p><p>I couldn't take it anymore. What did they drag me all the way here for?</p><p>As soon as I open the door, I hear and oddly familiar sound.</p><p>
  <em>Bark.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. What Do I Have Left?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bark</em>
</p><p>Was that... a dog?</p><p>
  <em>Bark</em>
</p><p>It was coming from inside of the gym.</p><p>
  <em>Bark</em>
</p><p>What's going on?</p><p>"Settle down now" another a voice says.</p><p>"Oikawa?" I say, recognizing his voice. "What're you doing here?"</p><p>"Nice way to greet a beloved senpai" He says overly dramatic.</p><p>
  <em>Bark</em>
</p><p>"Is that... a dog?" I say finally.</p><p>"So you <em>do </em>know what a dog is, that's a relief. I told Chibi-chan that you'd be completely oblivious."</p><p>"Why wouldn't I know what a dog is?" I respond bluntly.</p><p>"It's a guide dog, Kageyama" Hinata says.</p><p>I widen my eyes.</p><p>A guide dog?</p><p>"A guide dog in <em>training</em>" Oikawa clarifies. "You know we can't afford a <em>real </em>guide dog."</p><p>"Y...you guys bought him?"</p><p>"Not really... this is my aunties dog who used to do training. Although we didn't <em>buy </em>him it took a lot of convincing."</p><p>Hinata pushes me to kneel down, and the dog comes to me.</p><p>Animals have never liked me too much.</p><p>That's why I got super confused when it <em>chose</em> to come up to me.</p><p>I didn't exactly know how to react to it, and Hinata and Oikawa were amused by my cluelessness.</p><p>"You can't exactly use the cane by yourself" Hinata says. "And since you walk alone on Mondays, he should help."</p><p>I still wasn't too sure how this was going to work out. How can a <em>dog</em> guide me.</p><p>"I know what you're thinking Tobio-chan" Oikawa says. "But just give it a go."</p><p>
  <em>Time Skip</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>During Karasuno's Thursday practice, I actually played with the ball for awhile.</p><p>Of course, the rest of the team helped me out, as well as the dog I'd come to know as Taiyo.</p><p>Noya was surprisingly good with dogs, although I was told that Taiyo was almost as big as him.</p><p>He helped me out more than I could ever imagine, and not just with guiding me around.</p><p>I've been so afraid of being alone, and now I never am. I can't think of a way to thank Oikawa and Hinata enough.</p><p>My attention draws away from the practice, and my mind wanders off about Oikawa.</p><p>I can't think of a single reason he would help me. I would have thought he'd be happy to see the competition lessen, given that inter highs were coming up.</p><p>shit.</p><p>Inter highs.</p><p>I hadn't even thought about inter highs, or any competition for that matter.</p><p>It's pathetic.</p><p>I used to be so far above everyone and now I'm so far behind I can't even see them.</p><p>"Alright everyone listen up" Daichi says, interrupting my thoughts and concluding practice.</p><p>We all gather around, and I get there quite easily thanks to Taiyo.</p><p>"Be sure to get plenty of rest since our training camp to Tokyo is in three days. We leave at 6 a.m. sharp. Dismissed!"</p><p>After everyone goes to change, I talk to Daichi privately.</p><p>"Hey Daichi... do you think maybe I can come to the training camp too."</p><p>"The coaches and I gave it some thought, and we didn't see any reason you couldn't go. You don't have to just be there either. This'll be a great opportunity for you to train."</p><p>"Yeah, I sure need it." I say and chuckle a little.</p><p>Daichi doesn't seem amused.</p><p>I forgot I'm not talking to a light hearted Hinata.</p><p>"I think you're doing great" Daichi says, before going off to change with the others.</p><p>Yeah right. Nice way to sugar coat it.</p><p>I'm really not doing too well at all.</p><p>In volleyball at least.</p><p>It's going to be a long time until I can even get a little better.</p><p>I find myself digging deep into my thoughts.</p><p>How long will it be until I get better?</p><p>Will I ever get better at all?</p><p>If I don't, what will I do?</p><p>It's not like I'm at all academically smart so without volleyball what do I have left?</p><p>Taiyo barks at me, clearly seeing my distress.</p><p>I stroke him to let him know I'm ok.</p><p>It still doesn't stop me from thinking:</p><p>Without volleyball, what do I have left?</p><p>
  <em>Time Skip</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>I go pick Kageyama up really early for the training camp. It was freezing, and by now all of my clothes were way too big for me.</p><p>I ended up wearing them anyway, and ended up freezing my butt off with the looseness.</p><p>I knock on the door.</p><p>His sister opens it.</p><p>"you poor thing!" She exclaims. "Come inside where it's warm."</p><p>"Actually" I say. "I'm just here to pick up Kageya- uhh Tobio."</p><p>"He'll be out real soon."</p><p>When he does, I take his suitcase and we walk to school.</p><p>"You know" he says. "I've never seen either of your parents before."</p><p>"Where'd that come from?"</p><p>"Oh uhh. Sorry, I just thought it was weird that you never get dropped anywhere. I mean it's freezing. Sure my parents work but..."</p><p>He trails off not really knowing what to say. I seem to know where he's getting at however.</p><p>"It's really not what you think. My dad died not too long ago and my mum can't drive that's it."</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>I didn't even know why I asked the question.</p><p>I guess Hinata knowing so much about my life I was kinda curious to know about his.</p><p>Taiyo wasn't allowed to come, which really sucked.</p><p>Sure I could use a cane, but it wasn't like I was any good at it.</p><p>when we arrived, the bus was heated thankfully.</p><p>I realize now how long this trip is going to be without being able to see the scenery.</p><p>"Here" Hinata says, and I put my hands out. He puts a pair of headphones on them.</p><p>I unintentionally smile.</p><p>"Thanks." </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. I quit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>It was slightly warmer than when we got there.</p><p>I guess the unbearable coldness only lasts in the morning.</p><p>I'm sure if I could see, the city would be beautiful.</p><p>I tug on Hinata's shirt, "Hey" I whisper. "What does it look like?"</p><p>"Hmm" he says, like he's thinking. "You remember the view from here right?"</p><p>I nod.</p><p>From the hill we got off at last time, you could see the whole city so clearly. I assume it's darker now, but I can still remember vividly.</p><p>"Imagine that" he says. "But all lit up, in like millions of different colors. It seems like it was snowing this morning, there's ice crystals on the buildings."</p><p>I think about it for a little while.</p><p>I'm not the sentimental type, but even the thought of it is breathtaking.</p><p>"Cold morning, ay?"</p><p>Footsteps that sound like it's from a group of people walk towards us.</p><p>I assume it's Nekoma.</p><p>"Ah, Kuro!" Daichi says. "I told you, you didn't need to come. It's so cold."</p><p>Hinata leaves my side. I assume to talk to their setter.</p><p>I wait patiently until we decide to leave.</p><p>I never bothered to make Tokyo friends.</p><p>To be honest I didn't know how.</p><p>I assume everyone's conversations are about me. I wonder if the news even got through to Tokyo.</p><p>When it was finally time to go, Hinata helped lead me.</p><p>I told him that I was fine, and that he should go talk to his other friends but he insisted.</p><p>Practice started right away. I was standing with the managers, and they were awkwardly talking to me to avoid silence.</p><p>It's not everyday that I have to have a conversation by myself.</p><p>I tried to avoid playing with balls as to not embarass myself, but ended up lowly dribbling one anyway.</p><p>'One touch!'</p><p>'Chance ball!'</p><p>'Nice receive!'</p><p>'Sorry, that could've been a little higher'</p><p>'Nice kill!'</p><p>I sigh to myself, and wonder if I'll ever be able to use those terms again properly.</p><p>Probably not...</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>Kageyama's been looking down this whole time.</p><p>Of course, who can blame him? If I was stuck on the sidelines while everyone else played, I'd be pretty pissed too.</p><p>He just got a ball and dribbled while we played.</p><p>He could've at least practiced a little.</p><p>"Hinata!" someone calls.</p><p>I got lost in my thoughts.</p><p>The ball comes to me.</p><p>I get my arms into a receive position just in time, but as I thought, I end up receiving it with my face. It goes up all the same.</p><p>"Nice receive!" Noya laughs as he covers for me, passing it to Suga, who's become a regular ever since Kageyama stopped playing.</p><p>I took occasional glances at him. He was still fiddling with the ball.</p><p>"What's up with your number nine?" Lev asked me in between a practice game.</p><p>I looked at him aa little shocked. Did he not know?</p><p>Kenma jumped up and hit him in the head.</p><p>"Shut up, Lev" he said. "Sorry Shou."</p><p>"Don't worry about it."</p><p>"Look, I understand that he can't play with all of us but he could at least do something for himself you know."</p><p>"I know what you mean. But last time he tried to play he broke my nose."</p><p>Kenma looked surprised. So does Lev.</p><p>"That's why your face is all messed up!" Lev says laughing a little.</p><p>"Is it really that obvious?" I say, touching my now painless face. "It was a while ago but the marks are still there."</p><p>Kenma looks over to him, sypathetically.</p><p>At this moment, Kageyama kind of reminds me of Kenma when he's not playing.</p><p>Oblivious and lost.</p><p>We continued for the rest of the day, until I went off to gym 3 to train with Bokuto and everyone else.</p><p>As I was leaving the gym was empty, and Kageyama was throwing the ball against the wall trying to catch it.</p><p>He wasn't doing too well.</p><p>"Hey Kageyama..." I said softly, afraid of what happened last time.</p><p>He turns to me with a normal look on his face. I sigh in relief.</p><p>"You know, maybe you should stay in gym 3 with us... just in case... you know."</p><p>"Look Hinata, I know what your thinking but I'm fine really. Just leave me here I'm good."</p><p>"But you don't even have Taiyo-"</p><p>"Shut up I'm fine."</p><p>I give in and leave, telling him that I'll come check on him later.</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>Damn. Shorty treats me like a child now.</p><p>I can't blame him though.</p><p>I had to consider whether I should practice or not.</p><p>I gave into my intentions however, and decided to practice while the gym was empty.</p><p>I've given it some thought.</p><p>What's the point in even practicing?</p><p>It's not like I'll even play again.</p><p>Well, not like I used to at least.</p><p>Gym 3 is lively as usual.</p><p>I can hear them from here.</p><p>'How come your team has all the tall players!'</p><p>'Stop complaining! We have Lev on our team so it's fair'</p><p>'Hey!'</p><p>What I wouldn't give to be in their shoes</p><p>
  <em>Time Skip - The Next Day</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>I didn't end up checking on Kageyama yesterday.</p><p>I got so caught up in the game I had totally forgotten about it.</p><p>He seemed well when we went to sleep so I assume everything is fine.</p><p>The practice games for today are just about to end.</p><p>Tanaka scores the final point, with us winning 26-28.</p><p>After the bragging and the cheering everyone goes off to do individual practice as usual.</p><p>Kageyama does the same thing he did yesterday, he took the ball when he knew no one was in the gym and bounced it against the wall.</p><p>Compared to yesterday he wasn't doing bad.</p><p>"I'll <em>actually</em> come check on you today" I tell him before running off to gym three.</p><p>Half way through our game I said, "Can we stop for a sec, I'm going to check on Kageyama."</p><p>Before they even gave me a chance to respond, I run off to the main gym.</p><p>"Hey Kageyama are you-"</p><p>When I walked in, I found him standing in the middle with well over 30 balls surrounding him.</p><p>Has he been training nonstop?</p><p>"Are you ok...?" I whisper.</p><p>He turns around to me slowly. His eyes were red, like he had been crying.</p><p>All he said was,</p><p>"I quit."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>It's been on my mind for a while now, and I've decided to put my fantasies aside.</p><p>Holding on to a dream like me playing again is a waste of time and energy, for both me <em>and </em>Hinata.</p><p>The thought of never playing volleyball again makes me sick, but it's something I've been dealing with for a while though.</p><p>I said it out loud when I heard Hinata walk into the gym.</p><p>"I quit" I whispered.</p><p>"W...What did you say?" He said, surprised and slightly angry.</p><p>"I quit!" I repeat "I'm never playing volleyball again!"</p><p>He quickly walks up to me and grabs me by the collar pulling me down.</p><p>I can tell, even without sight, that he's pissed off.</p><p>"What the hell Kageyama!" How could you say that!"</p><p>"This isn't something that can be changed so easily! What's the point in practicing if I'm never going to be able to play!"</p><p>"You don't know that yet. Hell <em>nobody </em>does!"</p><p>"You're being childish Hinata! Holding onto this is only going to affect you and me badly!"</p><p>"It's not childish to hold onto a dream!"</p><p>"It is when that dream has a 0% chance of coming true!"</p><p>I push him away from me.</p><p>"This is <em>my </em>choice! I don't see why you need to butt in at all! Why are you even here?! Nobody asked you to be!"</p><p>"I'm here because I<em> want</em> to be here. You <em>need</em> me to be here! We're all hoping for a recovery and you're just giving up.</p><p>"I don't need you! I don't need anyone! If you're all holding onto hope like you say you are, that's just stupid. You're all just stupid!"</p><p>"Listen to yourself Kageyama-"</p><p>"Listen to me! I'm never going to get better. You all just need to stop acting and accept it!"</p><p>I run out of the gym. I don't even know where I 'm going, but I just keep running.</p><p>Running.</p><p>Running.</p><p>Stop.</p><p>Someone wraps around me holding me back.</p><p>"Hey, stop!" A voice says, still pulling me back.</p><p>Unintentionally I swing my hand, and end up hitting someone in the face, though not as hard as I did Hinata the other day.</p><p>"Ow" The person says quietly.</p><p>It takes me a moment to realize what I did.</p><p>"Oh my god I'm so sorry"</p><p>"N...no it's fine."</p><p>"Are you ok? Wait... do I know you?"</p><p>I recognize that quiet, bland voice.</p><p>"Kozume?"</p><p>That's Nekoma's setter, but what's he doing all the way out here.</p><p>"Actually, I'm not used to people calling me by my last name. Just call me Kenma."</p><p>"O...ok Kenma. What are you doing out here? Wait, where even are we?"</p><p>"Why don't you take a seat?"</p><p>He sits me down somewhere.</p><p>Based on the cold winds and the thin air I'm guessing we're high up somewhere.</p><p>"You're lucky I caught you" he says to me. "If I didn't, you'd of fallen off that cliff."</p><p>I looked at him shocked. A cliff all the way out here?</p><p>"It's not far," he continues. "But it would've hurt real bad."</p><p>I imagine that happening, feeling sick over the thought of the pain of falling off a freaking cliff.</p><p>"What are you even doing up here?" I ask finally. Based on how long I'd been running, it's a pretty long way away from camp, and if I remember correctly, Nekoma's setter doesn't have much stamina.</p><p>"I usually come here after training" he says. "Keeps me away from Kuro making me practice. Or Lev's annoying shouting."</p><p>"I see."</p><p>There's an awkward pause after that.</p><p>"Did you have a fight with Shou?"</p><p>I look at him confused.</p><p>"H...How did you know?"</p><p>"Based on the face you made when you were running, I could tell that you were arguing with <em>someone</em>. And I can't think of a single person who would besides Shou."</p><p>This guy <em>is </em>observant.</p><p>"I have to quit volleyball" I tell him. "There's no point in me slowing everyone down with my blindness."</p><p>"Do you want to quit?"</p><p>"I <em>have </em>to quit."</p><p>"But do you <em>want</em> to?</p><p>No. I don't. God it makes me sick thinking about not wanting to play. </p><p>"You're silence tells me you don't. Is that your dream?"</p><p>"My <em>dream</em>?"</p><p>"Everyone has dreams. It's up to you whether you achieve it."</p><p>This guy.</p><p>He goes from not talking at all to giving me advice like <em>this</em>.</p><p>"Even I have a dream" he continues. "There's this gaming convention I want to go to. You play games to win prize money and it sounds like I'd be good at it. Truth is, I'm not too good around people. Kuro took me to a party once and I ended up just leaving without telling him, ended up balling my eyes out at the nearest place I could find without people. I know my dream is a lot easier to achieve than yours, but you're a lot stronger than I am. It's pretty simple actually."</p><p>A sound goes off.</p><p>'Game over'</p><p>"Shit" he whispers.</p><p>I hadn't realized he had been playing his game this whole time.</p><p>"I do want to play" I tell him suddenly, before turning around to go back. </p><p>I stop after one step.</p><p>"I ummm..." I mutter, honestly a little embarrassed to ask for help.</p><p>"I know" he says. "Let's go."</p><p>I grab onto his arms as we walk back.</p><p>Who knew a guy like Kenma Kozume would be this easy to talk to.</p><p>"Kenma!"  A loud voice says as soon as we get close. "Where have you been?"</p><p>"Out" he says sarcastically.</p><p>"Oh, hey Kageyama" the voice says again.</p><p>"Hey... umm"</p><p>"It's Kuro. You know the rest of your team is worried about you."</p><p>"It's fine. I'll go back now. Thanks Kenma" I bow to both of them and run back to the room.</p><p>As soon as I open the door, I get bombarded with questions.</p><p>'Kageyama, where have you been?'</p><p>'We've been looking everywhere for you!'</p><p>'We thought you'd have gotten lost!'</p><p>'You know there's a cliff not too far from here, you should really be careful'</p><p>"U...Uh sorry you guys. Where's Hinata?"</p><p>As soon as I ask there's a sudden uneasiness in the room.</p><p>"We saw him, angry and crying" Tanaka said. "He had blood on his hands like he'd ben punching or scratching something. He didn't even eat dinner and now he's asleep."</p><p>Shit.</p><p>I guess that whole argument was too much for him.</p><p>I simply say, "I see... what time is it by the way?"</p><p>"11:00, man"</p><p>So after that was over we went to sleep, not saying a word.</p><p>I decided to apologize to Hinata in the morning, but since it was the last day and it was going to be pretty busy, I thought I wouldn't get a chance.</p><p>I have thoughts to either way.</p><p>He believed in me and my dream.</p><p>So I'll do everything to make that dream a reality.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Secrets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>I didn't get a chance to talk to Hinata after all.</p><p>The day was so hectic with training and packing that I never got a chance.</p><p>We didn't sit together on the way back either.</p><p>I figured that it would be too awkward to apologize in front of the whole team, especially with them not knowing what happened and all, so I decided to leave it until Monday.</p><p>He picked me up as usual and we walked in silence.</p><p>"Hinata..." I asked nervously. "About the other day-"</p><p>"Don't worry about it!" He says, putting an obviously fake happy voice on. "I was wrong too so just forget about it."</p><p>"Look I just want to apologize properly. I'm sorry."</p><p>He laughs at me a little.</p><p>I ignore it and continue.</p><p>"Look, I <em>am </em>going to keep playing volleyball, but I need to ask you something."</p><p>"Sure, anything."</p><p>"Why were your hands bleeding when you got back?"</p><p>He jumps a little and nervously giggles.</p><p>"Well you see, after our argument I got pretty mad. I didn't even realize at the time but I started punching the floor outside. Pretty dumb huh? haha"</p><p>His nervous giggling continues.</p><p>"How long has this been going on for?"</p><p>"It was just in the moment, I promise."</p><p>"That's bullshit Hinata. I noticed them when you first came to visit me like months ago."</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>"...about six months ago now."</p><p>I honestly get a little mad.</p><p>"And you didn't think to tell me?"</p><p>"I didn't think it was a big deal, but I'm fine now, aren't I?"</p><p>"You sure about that?"</p><p>"Positive."</p><p>"Hinata..."</p><p>I stop.</p><p>"Can you promise me something?"</p><p>"<em>Promise</em> you something? What are you like five?"</p><p>"Look, just tell me that you won't lie to me anymore. Honestly it's annoying."</p><p>It was more from annoying, but I wouldn't tell him that.</p><p>It genuinely saddened me.</p><p>He tugged on my shirt.</p><p>"Sure" he says. "Whatever I promise, now let's go we're gonna be late."</p><p>The start of practice, Oikawa came in to give me Taiyo and said that I had him for another two weeks. </p><p>I genuinely missed Taiyo a lot, and wondered what he would do if he saw me almost fall off a cliff.</p><p>We got about half way through practice when I really needed to go to the bathroom.</p><p>I didn't bother telling anyone. They all seemed busy.</p><p>When I had finished and came out, I heard an argument going on in the change rooms.</p><p>I peered in to hear their voiced. They were Coach Ukai and Hinata's.</p><p>"Seriously!" Hinata said. "It's not what you think!"</p><p>
  <em>Third Person</em>
</p><p>The team watched as Ukai pulled Hinata away from the practice game.</p><p>He looked mad.</p><p>Ukai hadn't shown up until then, and he was eyeing Hinata the whole trip.</p><p>"Hinata!" He yelled when nobody could hear it, at least, when he thought no one could hear. "Do you mind telling me why you only ate <em>two </em>meals the entire Tokyo trip?"</p><p>"Seriously!" Hinata said. "It's not what you think!"</p><p>Kageyama heard it all. He didn't know what to do. Should he interrupt? No. He wanted to hear what was going to happen.</p><p>"Look, I just haven't been hungry, that's all!"</p><p>"That's not an excuse to stop eating all together!"</p><p>That was only part of the truth. Hinata has lost his appetite the day he saw Kageyama in that coma. As a result, his overall strength and stamina decreased along with his weight.</p><p>Another reason was the stress he was under, trying to help Kageyama, while living alone with his sister since his mum had to go somewhere else for work.</p><p>"How long has this been going on for?"</p><p>"Only the trip I swear!"</p><p>Ukai took a good look at him.</p><p>He had noticed his weight loss, that was part of the reason he had took extra notice with Hinata during the camp.</p><p>He shook his head.</p><p>"I'm calling your parents."</p><p>Hinata's eyes widened.</p><p>"Please!" he begged. "I swear I'll start eating again just don't call my mum!"</p><p>Ukai sighed.</p><p>"Go home and eat something. We'll talk about this later."</p><p>He left, leaving Hinata in the room scared to death.</p><p>Kageyama was mad however, and burst through the door.</p><p>"What the hell was that about Hinata?"</p><p>Hinata jumped.</p><p>"How long have you been standing there for?"</p><p>"Long enough. What's that bullshit you told me this morning? 'I'm fine now?'"</p><p>"Look, I don't need this right now! I swear to you I'll go home and eat something!"</p><p>"I thought we said this morning not to lie to each other!"</p><p>"I wasn't <em>lying</em> since you never asked."</p><p>He gets up, but Kageyama grabbed his wrist.</p><p>They were at least half the size of when he grabbed them last.</p><p>He was scared to tug on it, in fear that it would snap like a twig.</p><p>Hinata pulled his hand away.</p><p>"I'm ok" he said genuinely. "Please just focus on yourself-"</p><p>"I can't focus on myself! You can't die Hinata, that's <em>my </em>job! Yours is to take care of me remember."</p><p>Hinata giggles a little.</p><p>"What's so funny?"</p><p>"You just admitted that you like me taking care of you!"</p><p>"I never said that!"</p><p>"You so totally did!"</p><p>There was a long pause after that, before Kageyama insisted that they go.</p><p>He dragged Hinata by the hand and out of the gym.</p><p>The team looked in confusion, both at the two first years leaving and the uneasy Coach Ukai.</p><p>"Where are you taking me, Kageyama?"</p><p>He pushed some weird buttons on his phone.</p><p>"Call Oikawa" he said to it.</p><p>Taiyo followed close behind, and Kageyama used the brace for support.</p><p>"Why are you calling Oikawa?" Hinata asked. "And let go of me!" He pulled away and followed Kageyama.</p><p>They ended up at Hinata's house, sitting opposite Oikawa.</p><p>"So umm..." Oikawa started. "What am I doing here?"</p><p>"I don't even know what <em>I'm</em> doing here." Hinata says. "And this is my own house."</p><p>"I can't see" Kageyama starts. "So, Oikawa is here to make sure that you eat."</p><p>"<em>That's</em> all?" Hinata says.</p><p>"Chibi-chan, you haven't been eating?"</p><p>Before he has a chance to say anything, Kageyama interrupts.</p><p>"No" he says, honestly sounding kind of childish. "He hasn't!"</p><p>When the food was right there in front of him, Hinata looked at it, distressed.</p><p>Oikawa hadn't noticed it until now, and was shocked at how much he didn't want to eat it.</p><p>"Well" Kageyama prompted. "Go on."</p><p>Hinata looked at the food again.</p><p>"Look Kageyama I don't think this is necessary-"</p><p>Oikawa gets the chopsticks and picks up some rice, holding it to HInata's mouth.</p><p>Hinata looked at it hesitantly, before finally giving in and taking a bite.</p><p>"Well" Kageyama said. "How is it?"</p><p>Hinata grabbed the chopsticks from Oikawa's hands and started eating.</p><p>"You know" Oikawa says. "You never know you're hungry until you take a bite."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Can You Set For Me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>Eating like I normally would turned out to be a bigger challenge than I thought.</p><p>Occasionally I would tell Kageyama that I was eating lunch, when really I wasn't.</p><p>It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, considering he's blind and all.</p><p>I noticed the more time that passed, Kageyama's 'secret' anxiety slowly started to go away.</p><p>I would occasionally catch him crying however, and sometimes end up crying myself.</p><p>We were walking back from school one day, the gym was empty and I had an idea.</p><p>"Hey Kageyama" I said casually. "Do you want to set for me?"</p><p>He almost spit out his drink and ended up coughing like crazy. Taiyo barked up at him aggressively.</p><p>"W...what did you say?" He said, catching his breath from chocking on his milk.</p><p>"You heard me" I said. "Do you want to set for me?"</p><p>"Well of course I <em>want</em> to" he began. "But <em>can </em>I?"</p><p>"Sure you can" I say. "All you gotta do is set the ball up and I'll hit it, just like any other day."</p><p>"My sets are meant to go straight to you. If I can't see you how is that supposed to happen?"</p><p>"Sure it'll be a little different, but I think it should be fine."</p><p>When we finally got there and the ball was actually in Kageyama's hands. he seemed a little uneasy.</p><p>"I don't know about this" he said finally. "What if I mess up?"</p><p>"Why <em>wouldn't </em>you mess up?" I retaliate.</p><p>I position him by the net where he usually stands.</p><p>"Kageyama" I say. "You can't recieve just yet, but try to just throw it up and toss it."</p><p>"But what if I-"</p><p>"It doesn't matter, nobody's here."</p><p>His expression turns from clueless to firm.</p><p>He throws the ball up just a little bit and using an overhand technique lifts it up.</p><p>It was terrible, it went way too low and way too long.</p><p>I run up to it anyway, barely toughing it, though it still doesn't go over the net.</p><p>"H...how was that?" He asks.</p><p>I pause.</p><p>"Needs some work."</p><p>He does it again, throws it up slightly and sets it up.</p><p>This time the height was near perfect, although it was way too short.</p><p>He gets a little startled when the ball lands right next to his feet.</p><p>"Again!" I say enthusiastically.</p><p>This time however, just when he throws the ball, I say, "Over here!" and clap my hand once.</p><p>He was pretty surprised to say the least.</p><p>He traced his eyes from the sound to where I would've run and threw the ball up like he had been doing this whole time.</p><p>He set it, near perfectly, and honestly I was in awe of just how good the set was.</p><p>I smiled wide and ran up to the ball, hitting it perfectly.</p><p>When Kageyama heard the sound, he shook a little.</p><p>He said, "Was that-"</p><p>"That was great, Kageyama!" I said genuinely.</p><p>This got him pretty exited. Usually it's me asking for more, but this time he says, "How about another one?"</p><p>The next one didn't go so well. I clapped like I did before and said, "Over here!" He followed my voice to the net like he did before, but ended up setting it over the net.</p><p>We went back and forth like this for a while.</p><p>I'd say that only about ten of the sets were close to perfect.</p><p>When I looked at the time, it was already nine o'clock.</p><p>"Crap!" I said.</p><p>"What's wrong?"</p><p>"It's already nine!"</p><p>"Huh? Dumbass <em>you're </em>supposed to know what time it is!"</p><p>"But that felt like nothing!"</p><p>"It always does!"</p><p>We quickly got our stuff and I packed and locked up the gym.</p><p>I took Taiyo's brace and Kageyama held onto it.</p><p>I sighed, relieved when we got to the park in between our houses.</p><p>"That was close" I said. "If we'd have been caught I would have been dead!"</p><p>"<em>you</em> would have been dead?! Have you met my parents?"</p><p>I giggle and we walk down to his house.</p><p>"Hey Kageyama" I said. "Do you think maybe we can do the freak quick if I say something in mid air?"</p><p>"You can barely look and swing mid air, how do you expect to say something?"</p><p>"I could practice!"</p><p>"Either way, I really don't think it'll work out."</p><p>"How come?"</p><p>"I just... don't think <em>I </em>can do it."</p><p>"Sure you can. Aren't you like some prodigy?"</p><p>"I <em>was</em>. Besides, even if I could, what good would that do us?"</p><p>Before I got a chance to answer we made it to his house.</p><p>"Goodnight Hinata." He said.</p><p>"Yeah" I replied. "Goodnight."</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>"Damn" I say to myself as soon as I close the door.</p><p>'What good would that fo us?' that was a stupid choice of words.</p><p>When I walked into my living room, Taiyo barked a lot.</p><p>Being only slightly trained he barks whenever he sees someone he doesn't know.</p><p>"That guide dog doesn't seem to be trained" an American voice says.</p><p>"I...Is that-"</p><p>"Yes it's me, how've you been, sweetie?"</p><p>It was the nurse from the hospital, but what was she doing here, <em>in my house</em>?</p><p>She gives me a hug, and although I don't usually like hugs, her large figure is slightly comforting.</p><p>"The nurse came in today with some good news." My mum says. "She says that there's a new treatment trial."</p><p>I almost fell over.</p><p>"A new treatment?!" I repeat exitedly.</p><p>"Yes!" The nurse says. "It's only a trial however. It's in Australia."</p><p>"A...Australia?"</p><p>"Yep, the land down under. Sure it's a long way from here but I'm sure it'll be great! Alright, I'll leave you to it."</p><p>I heard the door close behind her and I'm stuck in my thoughts.</p><p>Australia? Don't they speak english down there? I can't speak english?! I'll be blind <em>and </em>mute, and Taiyo can't even come with me since he's Oikawa's aunty's dog.</p><p>"I know it's a lot to take in" my mum says, tapping me on the shoulder. "But if it's going to help you see again nothing else matters."</p><p>She gives me a shallow hug and goes up to her room. I do the same.</p><p>Australia's a long way from here.</p><p>I get dizzy just thinking about it.</p><p>An unfamiliar place. </p><p>Nobody that I know.</p><p>Hell, I can't even see it.</p><p>But I want to see more than anything.</p><p>"Shit!" I scream into my pillow and fall into an uneasy sleep.</p><p>Shit.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. One Last Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>I groggily get out of bed as my alarm blares in my ear.</p><p>I feel around, and end up turning it off after about a minute.</p><p>Telling Hinata and the rest of the team that the only treatment available is in Austrailia isn't going to be easy.</p><p>My mum told me I had to make a decision by tonight.</p><p>Hinata was by my door like he was every morning.</p><p>"You ready to go?" he said, his voice shaking a little.</p><p>"Hey, you ok?" I said calmly.</p><p>"How about you set for me after school today?" he said, completely avoiding the question.</p><p>I give him an obvious smirk.</p><p>"Duh"</p><p>The day went as it normally did, although the team didn't have practice today since the day ended early.</p><p>That gave Hinata and I time and place to practice.</p><p>I did significantly better than yesterday, making at least fifteen decent sets before Hinata said, "So... you wanna try that freak quick?"</p><p>I had completely forgotten he'd wanted to try it.</p><p>"I umm..." I start. "I don't know if I can."</p><p>"Sure you can!" Hinata says, oblivious to my raging anxiety. "Look, even if you do mess up, nobody's here."</p><p>"<em>You're </em>here."</p><p>"I'm always here... just listen to my voice and you'll be fine."</p><p>I hear him position himself to where he stands in games.</p><p>"I'm gonna go now" he says, "you ready?"</p><p>"I umm..."</p><p>Before I even had a chance to say anything, I heard the squeaking of my spiker's shoes, the sound I've heard at least a million times.</p><p>It stops when it gets close to the net.</p><p>
  <em>Whoosh</em>
</p><p>Hinata takes off.</p><p>"Over here!" he shouts and claps his hands once.</p><p>I can hear it.</p><p>I can hear it all.</p><p>The time of his jump.</p><p>The sound of his voice.</p><p>The clap of his hands.</p><p>I form my hands into a triangle shape, just like I'd done my whole life.</p><p>I push the ball out and up.</p><p>"Here!"</p><p>Before the ball hits the floor however, I hear a big <em>thump"</em></p><p>"Ow" Hinata says.</p><p>"Dumbass! I told you, you didn't know how to clap in mid air."</p><p>"But you heard it didn't you?"</p><p>I did.</p><p>I really did.</p><p>And I loved it.</p><p>"Get up!" I say. "Let's do it again."</p><p>
  <em>Swish</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Clap</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Toss</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Thump</em>
</p><p>"Again?"</p><p>"Sorry Kageyama, this is hard you know?"</p><p>
  <em>Swish</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Clap</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Toss</em>
</p><p>
  <em>...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hit?</em>
</p><p>"Kageyama!" Hinata screamed at me. "Did you hear that?"</p><p>"Did you just... hit the ball?"</p><p>"Barely!" He responds "But it was so cool!"</p><p>Watching him celebrate made my stomach twist.</p><p>He was so happy.</p><p>I was so happy.</p><p>I can't go to Australia.</p><p>But I want to be able to see so badly.</p><p>Depending on how long the trial takes, I may never see him again.</p><p>"Again!" He shouts at me.</p><p>We go at it for hours, and no matter how long it seems, he keeps saying, 'again!'</p><p>"Hinata" I pant, "Aren't you tired?"</p><p>"Again!"</p><p>"Look I think you need to calm down-"</p><p>"Come on just one more!"</p><p>"But it's getting late-"</p><p>"Please, just one more!"</p><p>His voice grew aggressive. Why was he so eager for another toss? He started to pant as well, like all the jumping finally took a toll on him.</p><p>I walked up to him.</p><p>"Listen" I say. "I need to tell you something" I hear him start to say something but I cover his mouth.</p><p>There's a new treatment for blindness. Depending on how long it takes I could be there for the rest of my life. The thing is, the trial is in Australia, and I want you to know that-"</p><p>I get distracted when I feel tears on my hand. I take it away from Hinata's mouth.</p><p>"I know" he says through tears. "I got a call last night."</p><p>"Y...you knew?"</p><p>"Of course I knew! That's why I came here, why I wanted so many tosses. I'm so grateful for each and every one but, you're leaving soon so I-"</p><p>"Hinata"</p><p>"So I just wanted one more toss and-"</p><p>"Hinata"</p><p>"And I guess I just wanted to say goodbye and-"</p><p>"Hinata!"</p><p>He stops, not knowing that he was rambling.</p><p>"Sorry" he says, drying his tears.</p><p>"Hinata I'm... I've decided not to go."</p><p>"What?!" He says, shocked and confused. "What do you mean you've decided not to go?"</p><p>"Look, the thought of being there, alone, and a total foreigner is too scary to thing about."</p><p>"Kageyama you could <em>see</em> again, don't you want that?"</p><p>"Of course I want that! God, I want it more than anything. But I just... the thought of being there, without you it's just... too much."</p><p>At this point even I'm spitting tears. He grabs my hand.</p><p>"Look I know it's scary." He starts, "But it's the best thing for you."</p><p>I think about it.</p><p>It <em>is</em> the best thing for it isn't it?</p><p>Damn it.</p><p>I give him a firm nod.</p><p>"Let go of me shorty." I say through tears.</p><p>"Sorry" he says in a sad giggle. "One more time... can you toss to me one last time?"</p><p>I nod and get into my position.</p><p>"You ready?" I ask.</p><p>"Always."</p><p>
  <em>Swish</em>
</p><p>The last jump.</p><p>
  <em>Clap</em>
</p><p>The last reminder of his presence.</p><p>
  <em>Toss</em>
</p><p>The last set I'll give him for a long time.</p><p>
  <em>Hit</em>
</p><p>He hits the ball, with all of his power and all of his emotions. The last hit.</p><p>"Yes!!" He shouts. "That was perfect Kageyama!!"</p><p>
  <em>Time Skip: Back Home</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>Hinata really <em>doesn't</em> have any sense of time, even with sight. By the time I came home it was already 10:30.</p><p>"There you are" my mum says as soon as I walk through the door.</p><p>"Where've you been?"</p><p>"Sorry" I respong, "I kind of got... distracted."</p><p>As I go to walk up the stairs, she grabs me by the hand. "Have you decided yet?"</p><p>I take a deep breath.</p><p>"Yes" I say firmly, "I'm going."</p><p>I hear her sniffle a little.</p><p>She hugs me, tight.</p><p>"Thank you" she says. "Just come back safe alright."</p><p>So this is it?</p><p>I'm not going to see these people for a long time.</p><p>Australia is far.</p><p>Too far.</p><p>...</p><p>Too far.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. False Goodbyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>The day after, I decided to tell the team I was leaving.</p><p>"Listen up everyone!" Hinata said in his loud, energetic voice. "Kageyama has something to tell us!"</p><p>The team gathered round. I figured it'd be easier to tell if I didn't see them, but as it turns out it was just the opposite.</p><p>"You see the thing is..." I started. "Look, to put it simply I'm moving to Australia."</p><p>The gym fell dead silent.</p><p>I gulped, scared.</p><p>Without warning, two people tackled me to the floor.</p><p>"Kageyama!" They wailed. Turns out it was Noya and Tanaka. No surprise there,</p><p>"Get off, you two!" Daichi yelled, pulling them off me.</p><p>"It's fine, really" I say, knowing I'll miss their over enthusiasm.</p><p>"This is all so sudden" Suga says, in his motherly concerned voice.</p><p>"So the king is leaving his subjects behind huh?" Tsukishima snickered.</p><p>"Why do you have to leave?" Yamaguchi said.</p><p>"Some new treatment" I respond. "Depending on how long it takes I could be there for the rest of my life."</p><p>Goodbyes were said briefly, and before I knew it, I had to go.</p><p>I went with Hinata to return Taiyo to Oikawa and said goodbye to him and Iwazumi who was already with him.</p><p>"I'm really gonna miss you lil buddy" I said to Taiyo as he whimpered at the sight of me leaving.</p><p>I wonder is any animal will ever even remotely like me again.</p><p>Sure they have kangaroos in Australia, but from what I've heard they're not too friendly.</p><p>Before I left, I had to go to the hospital for some final check ups.</p><p>They did a final X-ray and I was good to go.</p><p>"So you decided to go after all" the American nurse says to me.</p><p>"So I did" I say, not making eye contact.</p><p>"I know it was a tough decision, but take it from me, it was the best."</p><p>Was it though?</p><p>I say goodbye to her when I leave, and thank her for everything that she did.</p><p>I really start to think about it when I get home, and for the next couple of days leading up to the flight.</p><p>By the time the day before the flight arrived, I convinced myself that this was what's best for me.</p><p>Today, instead of Hinata picking me up, I wake up super early and find my way to his house.</p><p>Given that I'm leaving tomorrow, I wanted to surprise him.</p><p>"Kageyama!" he says surprised when he opens the door. "What are you doing here?" He giggles.</p><p>"Well," I say a little flustered. "You know... I'm leaving tomorrow, so I thought I'd surprise you."</p><p>He gently punched me in the shoulder.</p><p>"Try not to think about leaving" he says, in a genuinely enthusiastic tone, "Let's go"</p><p>I received a lot of goodbyes from the volleyball club today. Even some members from other schools dropped by.</p><p>When it came to the end of the day however and I was just about to go inside, Hinata tugged on my shirt.</p><p>"What are you..." I asked, my words trailed off.</p><p>"No" he whispered, and pulled me away from my house.</p><p>"Hinata!" I said, frantically, surprised at how strong he had become since he started eating again.</p><p>"Let go!" I say, unwrapping his hand from my jacket. "Jeez! I'll just follow you!"</p><p>I grab onto his arm and he takes me somewhere. It was further than I expected.</p><p>"Are we there yet?" I grumble, my legs tired.</p><p>"Almost" he says, which was the only thing he's said besides, 'no'.</p><p>Eventually, we get to some stairs and we sit down on it.</p><p>"We may not be able to get in" Hinata starts. "But this is the gym we first met in."</p><p>I'm surprised.</p><p>My eyes widen.</p><p>So <em>this</em> is where he was taking me.</p><p>I never would have guessed it.</p><p>"I'm not going to say goodbye to you" Hinata says bluntly.</p><p>I'm a little taken a back.</p><p>"Not now." He continues. "Not ever. You're not <em>really</em> going to be gone after all."</p><p>"But Hinata I'm-"</p><p>"I don't care if you're leaving. You're not truly going to be gone!"</p><p>I pause for a while, before finally getting what he means.</p><p>"Of couse I won't dumbass" I say ruffling his hair." ... Of course I won't."</p><p>
  <em>Time Skip: The Next Day</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>"Do you have everything sweetie?"</p><p>"Yes mum."</p><p>"Do you have your toothbrush?"</p><p>"Yes"</p><p>"And your cane?"</p><p>"Yes"</p><p>"And your phone?"</p><p>"I'm fine mum... I gotta go now."</p><p>She gives me one final hug before letting me out the door.</p><p>It was raining, just like it was on the day of my accident.</p><p>I go to take out my phone, and just as I'm about to call a cab, my mum bursts the front door open.</p><p>"Mum, I told you-"</p><p>"The hospital just called!" she says, frantically.</p><p>"They need you to come right away."</p><p>When we arrive, she practically pulls me to the front desk.</p><p>"Slow down, mum!" I tell her.</p><p>We're greeted with the American nurse, who seems a lot less cheery than she normally is.</p><p>"Tobio dear, I need you to listen to me, we found something in your x-ray."</p><p>A huge lump forms in my throat and my stomach twists into a knot.</p><p>I can feel my mums similar anxiety from next to me.</p><p>"It's not all bad so don't worry." She clarifies. "Look, in most people's situations like yours, a whole layer of the eyes surface is burnt off, however upon further inspection, we can see a tiny opening that we can preform surgery with."</p><p>Layer of the eye?</p><p>Tiny opening?</p><p>Surgery?</p><p>Will I be able to see again?</p><p>"Will he be able to see again?" My mum says, speaking my thoughts.</p><p>"That's one possibility." The nurse says seriously. "Another is the surgery will cause bleeding in the brain, possibly leading to death."</p><p>My blood runs cold.</p><p>Throughout the hours I've spent in hospitals throughout the last couple of months, the possibility of me <em>dying</em> never once crossed my mind.</p><p>It was never even an option for me.</p><p>"The choice is up to you kiddo" she continues. "You can choose to do this surgery, and have a 75% chance of coming out alive, or you can go to Australia like you planned and do the treatment trial."</p><p>Shit.</p><p>Shit!</p><p>What do I do?</p><p>75% seems like a lot.</p><p>But 25% chance of <em>death</em>.</p><p>My head hurts thinking about the possibilities.</p><p>My mind suddenly wanders off to Hinata.</p><p>The chance to see him again.</p><p>To see his smile.</p><p>To set to him.</p><p>It's too good to pass up.</p><p>Even if it kills me.</p><p>I will see him again.</p><p>"Yes" I say. "I'll do the surgery."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Patience</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>"Is is true?" I shout, bursting through the waiting room. I turn to see Kageyama's mum and the American nurse talking.</p><p>"Is it true?" I repeat, slightly softer and kneeling beside them. "Did Kageyama really go into surgery?"</p><p>Miss Kageyama gives me a sad nod, and pulls me up to hug me.</p><p>I don't exactly know what to make of it, but I end up hugging her back.</p><p>"The survival rate is 75%" she tells me.</p><p>I feel myself stiffen.</p><p>Survival rate?!</p><p>I look at her, confused? Sad? I don't even know what I'm feeling.</p><p>Nobody told me there was a <em>survival</em> rate!</p><p>I sit on the chair in the opposite side of the room, wallowing in my thoughts.</p><p>There's a 25% chance Kageyama will <em>die</em>.</p><p>"Kageyama..." I whisper. "Dying...?"</p><p>I shake the thoughts out of my head.</p><p>No.</p><p>He can't die.</p><p>He <em>won't </em>die.</p><p>Won't he?</p><p>I sigh and walk to the vending machine, to eat my thoughts away.</p><p>I figured it was kind of strange, since the last thing I've wanted to do the last couple of days was eat.</p><p>I take my wallet out of my bag, and count my money.</p><p>
  <em>10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70</em>
</p><p>70 yen.</p><p>I sigh.</p><p>I don't even have enough for a chocolate bar.</p><p>"Need some cash?" A voice says from behind me.</p><p>"O...Oikawa?"</p><p>He looks away and puts some money in the vending machine, enough to buy two packets of chips.</p><p>"Tsk" he says and grits his teeth. "That damn king better come out alive."</p><p>I could tell he wanted to cry, this is he had too much pride to do it.</p><p>Kageyama's dad and sister were already here, sitting with his mum.</p><p>Most of the Karasuno team came in shortly after, exchanging condolences and scared glances.</p><p>'He's not gonna die' I mumble to myself.</p><p>'He's gonna be fine'</p><p>"You doing alright, shrimp?" I look up to see Tsukishima glaring at me.</p><p>"Am I doing <em>alright</em>?" I snap.</p><p>When I realized what I had done, I simply said, "Sorry."</p><p>"You know..." He starts and sits down next to me. "That damned king is so stupid, even if he <em>did</em> die he'd be too stupid to go through with it."</p><p>"Is that your way of making me feel better?"</p><p>"Yeah... It is."</p><p>It did.</p><p>"Thanks."</p><p>About an hour into the surgery, a couple doctors told us to go to school, since he probably wasn't going to wake up for awhile. </p><p>A few people did, and soon it was just Oikawa and I in the waiting room.</p><p>That and his family.</p><p>I was bouncing my leg aggressively and listening to Oikawa. Although I wasn't exactly listening, just sort of nodding my head and saying 'mhm'</p><p>"Chibi"</p><p>"Mhm"</p><p>"Chiiiiibiiii"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Are you even listening to me?"</p><p>"Of course I'm not."</p><p>"That was blunt."</p><p>"Sorry."</p><p>"I said did you eat breakfast?"</p><p>"No, I got the news as soon as I woke up and came straight here."</p><p>He looks at me weirdly, before getting up and putting his hand out.</p><p>"What are you doing?" I ask.</p><p>"You're coming with me to go buy breakfast." He replies, grabs my hand and picks me up.</p><p>"Oikawa, I can't go now!" I say, unwrapping his grip from my wrist. "If something happens then I want to-"</p><p>"He'd want you to eat, Chibi" he says, interrupting me. "I'll bring you back as soon as possible, promise."</p><p>Without giving me a chance to respond, I follow him to the hospital cafeteria.</p><p>I sit down on a window seat while he gets breakfast.</p><p>When he comes back, he puts a plate in front of me.</p><p>I sigh and pick up the chopsticks, taking a bite.</p><p>The rest of the conversation was pretty much one sided, with Oikawa doing most of the talking.</p><p>"You just need to be patient" I hear him say.</p><p>I look at him confused. I wasn't listening to what he was talking about.</p><p>"P...patient?" I repeat.</p><p>"With Tobio. If you're patient good things will come."</p><p>"That doesn't make any sense."</p><p>"Ah, youth" he says finally, ruffling my hair and picking me up to go back.</p><p>When we got back, my throat closed up at the sight of Kageyama's parents talking to a nurse.</p><p>She looked like she was crying.</p><p>Shit.</p><p>What happened?</p><p>Oikawa and I slowly walk up to them, standing behind his mum and dad.</p><p>His sister was on the chair next to us.</p><p>"We're not 100% sure he'll die" the nurse said, "But he may not wake up for awhile. Because the opening for the surgery was so small, extra measures had to be taken. Right now he's in a coma."</p><p>No.</p><p>No.</p><p>This wasn't supposed to happen.</p><p>Oikawa holds onto my shoulder, perhaps for support.</p><p>I look up.</p><p>He looks shocked, but firm.</p><p>"I think it's best you go home" the nurse said, gesturing to Oikawa and I.</p><p>I stiffen up, not knowing what to say.</p><p>I want to cry, but no tears come out.</p><p>Oikawa pushes my head down in a bow.</p><p>"Thanks for letting us stay" he says, and practically pulls me out the door.</p><p>As we're leaving, I hear the nurse whisper something to Miss Kageyama.</p><p>'The survival rate for this kind of coma is 50%'</p><p>"Stay here." Oikawa says, putting me on a bench. I'll call a cab or something."</p><p>I scratch my hands, hard.</p><p>Something I haven't done for weeks.</p><p>I bite my lip, aggressively, until they start to bleed.</p><p>"50... percent" I whisper to myself. "50%... percent."</p><p>The more I thought about it the more I scratched my hands.</p><p>Then my knuckles.</p><p>Then my wrists.</p><p>By now they were bleeding, but I didn't care.</p><p>The pain distracted me.</p><p>"There aren't any cabs available so we might have to wai- hey hey, what are you doing?"</p><p>He pulls my hands away from each other to stop the scratching.</p><p>"Sorry" I say.</p><p>He sighs and picks me up, handing me a tissue that I wipe the blood off with.</p><p>"There aren't any cabs available so I'll just walk you. That <em>is</em> how you got here right?"</p><p>We got to the park when he said he needed to go.</p><p>He offered to drop me home, but I refused.</p><p>Just as I turned around I heard him say,</p><p>"Just be patient, he'll come back."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Fluke</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>When I came to school the next day, people were staring at me like crazy.</p><p>It's true that I have a lot of other friends, but I'm mainly known for hanging out with Kageyama.</p><p>I barely payed attention in class, I just spun my pencil and looked out the window.</p><p>I'm sure a couple of teachers noticed my lack of attention, but I guess they never said anything since they knew what happened.</p><p>When I was getting changed in the change rooms after practice, I couldn't help but glance over to his locker a lot.</p><p>The emptiness of it made my stomach drop.</p><p>"Over here!" I called to Suga, half-running up to the net. I needed to do something to get my mind off everything.</p><p>I plastered a big smile on my face and waved my arms around.</p><p>Suga smiled up at me. "Over here, Hinata!" He called, and set the ball up.</p><p>I hit it with power and accuracy, and honestly, I was amazed.</p><p>"Woah!" I said. "Did you see that?!"</p><p>"Sure did!" he called and smiled, and continues to sweep the floors.</p><p>I looked down at my hand, and suddenly my heart sank.</p><p>I hit the ball</p><p><em>Without </em>Kageyama.</p><p>I held my breath with guilt.</p><p>I squeezed my hand into a fist.</p><p>Was hitting that ball saying I <em>didn't </em>need Kageyama! I felt like I was going to be sick.</p><p>"You alright there buddy?! Noya called and bounced onto my shoulders.</p><p>It felt forced.</p><p>I knew he was trying to cheer me up, but I just felt more lost.</p><p>"I think so" I said.</p><p>We did practice as normal.</p><p>Each time I hit one of Suga's sets, my regret grew bigger and bigger.</p><p>The lump in my throat rose and my stomach was all knotted.</p><p>'Fluke' I thought to myself after each hit. 'I'm not <em>really</em> hitting these sets, am I? No. They're just flukes'</p><p>"You tired, Hinata? I turned to see Suga, breathing heavily. Turns out it was near the end of practice, and we'd been training nonstop.</p><p>"Nope!" I say, and smile at him. "But we can take a break if you want."</p><p>I didn't need a break because I was tired. I needed a break from the guilt I was feeling. I ran to the bathroom without warning and threw up in one of the stalls.</p><p>"Damn it!" I said, flushing the toilet and leaning against the stall. "That was... a fun practice."</p><p>I hated myself for enjoying it.</p><p><em>H</em><em>e</em> should have been here, enjoying it with us.</p><p>I was so good today, I wonder what he would have done if he could see it.</p><p>"I'm sorry" I say. "I'm sorry."</p><p>"Where have <em>you </em>been?" Tsukishima says when I come back. He was grabbing a broom from the lockers.</p><p>"Sorry" I said, grabbing a mop to help them.</p><p>"Hinata!" Suga called to me. "What about one last hit before we pack up?"</p><p>"I umm..." I started. "I... I think I'm good."</p><p>I felt the confusion in the room as soon as I said it.</p><p>I continued to clean the floors anyway. I didn't owe them an explanation.</p><p>The gym was pretty much silent after that, with Tanaka and Noya occasionally making trouble.</p><p>Maybe I would have joined them if things had been different.</p><p>I got on my bike and pedaled to the park. I had to think twicw before going the right way, as I usually had to drop Kageyama off in the opposite direction.</p><p>When I get home, I'm greeted with an exited, "Ni-chan!"</p><p>"Hey, Natsu!" I say, parking my bike. "What are you doing outside, it's cold."</p><p>"You're very early today" she says.</p><p>I look at the time.</p><p>"I guess I am" I say, picking her up. "It's Friday, what do you want for dinner?" I go inside, holding back tears.</p><p>
  <em>Third Person</em>
</p><p>"What do you think happened to Hinata?" Suga asked Daichi, as they left the Sakanoshita store, meat buns in hand.</p><p>"To be honest" Daichi started, "He was doing really well today. I thought he'd be worse than usual because of Kageyama but... when he denied that set I dunno."</p><p>"Maybe he felt guilty"</p><p>"Guilty?"</p><p>"Doing so well with a set that <em>didn't</em> come from Kageyama."</p><p>Daichi thought about it for a moment.</p><p>That seemed about right.</p><p>"Are you alright?" He asked Suga.</p><p>He knows that Suga knows that Hinata doesn't dislike him, but just the thought of Suga thinking that Hinata hates his sets made him uneasy.</p><p>"Yeah" he responds, "And I'm sure Hinata's going to be fine."</p><p>Meanwhile, Hinata was punching his pillow.</p><p>"Shit!" he screamed. "I <em>do </em>need Kageyama, I <em>do</em> need Kageyama, Damn it, I really <em>do </em>need Kageyama... don't I?</p><p>He lay down and looked up at his ceiling. A single tear fell from his eye.</p><p>"Yeah." He said. "Today was just a fluke."</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>I didn't go to practice on Monday. I couldn't deal with playing a practice game with Suga's sets anymore.</p><p>I walked my bike over to Aoba Johsai.</p><p>Since they're a private school, I assumed they'd have more than one entrance to the gym.</p><p>They did, so I snuck in from the back and decided just to watch them practice.</p><p>I would have gone to any other school, but I was too tired to walk any further.</p><p>They were in the middle of a practice game when I arrived.</p><p>"Here!" Iwaizumi called. "I got it!" Oikawa responded and tossed the ball to him perfectly.</p><p>I wonder if he ever felt guilty, when he first became captain and had to teach everyone about form and technique, leaving the responsibility he had in middle school behind.</p><p>I watch for the rest of the game, until they started doing individual practice.</p><p>Impulsively, I walked down to the main gym and tapped Oikawa on the shoulder.</p><p>He was surprised when he turned around, I guess he didn't expect to see a Karasuno member all the way out here.</p><p>"Chibi!?" What are you doing here?!"</p><p>The gym fell silent and everyone stared. I felt their eyes, but ignored them anyway.</p><p>I ask him,</p><p>"C...can you set for me?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Guilt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Oikawa POV</em>
</p><p>I was hitting the ball to and from the wall, when I felt a tap on my shoulder.</p><p>I couldn't believe who I saw when I turned around.</p><p>"Chibi?!" I said, "what are you doing here?!"</p><p>Karasuno was in the opposite direction to here, so what was their number 10 doing here?</p><p>He had an embarrassed but firm look on his face.</p><p>By now the whole gym was looking at him, probably equally as confused as I was.</p><p>"C...can you set for me?" he said.</p><p>I blinked out of shock.</p><p>"S...set for you?" I mimicked. "How did you even get here?"</p><p>"I can't take another one of Suga's sets." He says, completely ignoring my question about him trespassing. "Come on, just one."</p><p>My head was spinning with confusion at this point. From what I remember, their number two isn't a <em>bad</em> setter, he just isn't as naturally talented as Tobio.</p><p>i sigh. "Fine" I tell him. "I'll throw a couple to you but afterwards, you have to tell me what the hell is going on."</p><p>He threw the ball to me and I set it up, just like I would do for Iwa or Kindaichi or anyone else.</p><p>He hits it really well, I'm surprised how much he's improved since the last time I saw him.</p><p>As he descends, however, he looks at his hands sadly.</p><p>"What's wrong Chibi?" I say. "What, you don't like my sets?"</p><p>"No, it's not that" he sayds. "Can you send me up another?"</p><p>The next hit goes the same way.</p><p>And the next.</p><p>And the next.</p><p>"Ughh!" I mutter "I can't take this!"</p><p>I take him by the hand and into the locker room.</p><p>"Hey what are you doing!" He complains, trying to get loose of my grip.</p><p>I sit him down on one of the many seats that we have.</p><p>"Look" I start "I've done what you asked, now you gotta tell me what's going on."</p><p>"Nothings going on."</p><p>"Oh really? Last time I checked you didn't look like you wanted to throw up after hitting a ball. Even if the set <em>was</em> from me."</p><p>"What does <em>your </em>sets have to do with anything?"</p><p>"Just tell me why you came here. Your number two isn't a bad player and you obviously came here trying to achieve something."</p><p>He took a deep breath, and sighed equally as dramatically.</p><p>"I thought getting a set from who was taught by him would make this feeling go away."</p><p>"Feeling? Taught by him? Are you talking about Tobio?"</p><p>"Hitting Suga's sets makes me feel like I'm saying that I don't <em>need </em>Kageyama anymore. I thought since your sets are similar and that we go to different schools that it would be better but..."</p><p>He trails off. I sigh and sit next to him. That's definitely not what I thought he'd say.</p><p>"So you feel <em>guilty.</em>"</p><p>"G...Guilty?"</p><p>"<em>That</em> makes an awful lot of sense. So you think by hitting other people's sets that your letting him go, in a way?"</p><p>He grits his teeth and turns away. </p><p>I smile at his childness.</p><p>"That's strange" I start. "But also completely normal. Look, hitting other people's sets isn't letting him go. It's just... I guess showing him and yourself that you don't need King sets to be good."</p><p>He looks at me, almost awestruck. It's flattering sure, but it's also real.</p><p>"Thanks" he says getting up.</p><p>"Hey!" I call out to him. "Why don't you stay for the rest of practice? By the time you go back to Karasuno, it'll already be over."</p><p>He gives me a toothy grin and an enthusiastic nod.</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>I ride back home, exhausted from the training with Aoba Johsai.</p><p>"No wonder they're so strong" I say to myself, barely having the strength to ride up the hill.</p><p>Either way, I'm glad I went there. It's gonna be a real pain in the ass to explain where I was at practice tomorrow.</p><p>When I come to my driveway, there's a boy at my front door.</p><p>"No!" Natsu says to him. "Ni-chan says to not let strangers in."</p><p>"I'm not a stranger" he says, "I know your Ni-chan."</p><p>Once I get a little closer, I notice the silver hair.</p><p>"Suga!" I say. He turns around and his eyes widen when he sees me.</p><p>"Hinata!" He says. "There you are!" </p><p>We sit down inside and I pour us some tea.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" I ask.</p><p>"Well you didn't come to practice, or answer your phone so I guess I was just worried about you."</p><p>"My phone? Shoot I guess I left it in Aoba Johsai."</p><p>"Aoba Johsai? What were you doing there?"</p><p>I sigh.</p><p>"I wanted to get a set from Oikawa."</p><p>His face drops a little.</p><p>"So I was right."</p><p>"Right?"</p><p>"Do my sets make you feel guilty?"</p><p>My stomach tightens.</p><p>"Was it really that obvious?"</p><p>"Look Hinata I get it but-"</p><p>"But I'm fine now." I interupt.</p><p>He looks up at me.</p><p>"After all, I'm not letting him go, just showing that I don't need his sets to be good."</p><p>Wise words from a not so wise man.</p><p>Suga smiles at me, and gets up to leave.</p><p>"Well now that's sorted" he says, "I hope to see you at practice tomorrow."</p><p>I wave at him as he leaves.</p><p>Guilt.</p><p>Regret.</p><p>Fear.</p><p>Those are normal now.</p><p>And although those feelings may not go away for a while, things feel like they're starting to go back to normal.</p><p>"Damn it, Kageyama" I say to myself, "Just wake up already."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. I'm Coming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>A familiar darkness greets me when I'm aware of myself.</p><p>I'm definitely not <em>awake</em> but I'm somewhere familiar.</p><p>Anesthesia? Ventilator? Why does it even matter at this point?</p><p>Something hurts, really really badly.</p><p>My neck?</p><p>No, that's just sore.</p><p>My arms?</p><p>They're just as weak as ever.</p><p>No.</p><p>It's my eyes.</p><p>Sure, they burn, but it's somehow soothing.</p><p>Like the pain you feel while playing with a ripped volleyball, it feels good to know that you've kept it up, but it hurts like hell.</p><p>I don't know where I am.</p><p>Not like I know where I am half of the time anyway.</p><p>I try to remember past events, like I'd been taught to do for a while now.</p><p>Treatment in Australia?</p><p>Sudden surgery?</p><p>25% death rate?</p><p>Am I dying?</p><p>Maybe I'm already dead.</p><p>I assumed death would be more of a blinding light than an unending darkness.</p><p>'Damn it, Kageyama' I hear 'Just wake up already'</p><p>Wake up?</p><p>Wake up!</p><p>Don't tell me what to do, idiot.</p><p>
  <em>Third Person</em>
</p><p>Hinata lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.</p><p>He'd just gotten back from practice, which exhausted him from answering questions about where he was the other day.</p><p>He finally got his phone back, Oikawa gave it to him during their practice match today.</p><p>Without Kageyama or the freak quick, there's no way they had a chance of winning.</p><p>'Maybe I really <em>do </em>need Kageyama to be good' he thought to himself.</p><p>He jumps at the sound of his ringing phone, which was significantly louder than usual.</p><p>"Jeez" he said to himself, and answered the phone.</p><p>"H...hello" he said, his voice shaking from exhaustion.</p><p>"Is that you, Hinata?" The voice said from the other side of the line.</p><p>"Miss Kageyama!" He answered and sat up, all of his tiredness being replaced with surprise.</p><p>He recognized the voice from the many calls he had gotten from her.</p><p>"If you can, you might want to drop by the hospital, I think there's some news."</p><p>Her voice wasn't low or shaking like it was almost every other time she had called Hinata.</p><p>Without a second thought, Hinata thanked her and put some warm clothes on.</p><p>He made sure to turn off all the lights, and lock every door and window in the house.</p><p>He got a sudden rush of the cold, breeze as soon as he opened the front doors.</p><p>It was cold.</p><p>It was raining.</p><p>He didn't care.</p><p>He slipped his hood onto his head and pedaled, hard.</p><p>Each breath he took was met halfway with the pain of the sharp cold.</p><p>His limbs shivered with the freezing rain coming down on him.</p><p>The road felt longer, steeper. The wetness wasn't helping, he was going at least ten times faster than he normally was, considering it was downhill.</p><p>His mind raged with thoughts.</p><p>
  <em>Is he ok?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Is he awake?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Is he even alive?</em>
</p><p>A bright light flared in his eyes, and the sight of another car coming his way made his hands shift.</p><p>The wheels that he pedaled slipped and in an instant he was on the floor.</p><p>The road that he lay on was violent and unforgiving, he felt blood drip from his cheek and knees.</p><p>But in that moment, no pain was felt, he picked up his bike and continued to pedal.</p><p>Faster.</p><p>Faster.</p><p>Go Faster!</p><p>Within minutes he was in front of the hospital gates, cold, bleeding and out of breath.</p><p>He parked his bike, and dried his shoes before walking into the heated waiting room that he remembered so well.</p><p>Mr. and Mrs. Kageyama were sitting on the chair closest to the front desk, probably waiting to be the first to know if any news were to come.</p><p>When Hinata walked through the door, Miwa was the one who greeted him.</p><p>"Hinata!" She said, surprised at his terrible state, "Did you ride your <em>bike </em>here, why didn't your parents drop you?"</p><p>She sat him down in a nearby seat and went to wipe his bleeding face with a tissue.</p><p>He pushed her hand away and shifted his gaze.</p><p>"What happened?" He asked.</p><p>"They said that they're getting occasional signals." She responded, "It's now or never."</p><p>In other words, tonight decided whether Kageyama lived or died.</p><p>She sighed sadly.</p><p>"At least let me clean up your knees" she said, "They might start bleeding all over the floor."</p><p>The adrenaline that got Hinata here now wore off, and he flinched with every tough of the alcohol wipe, and tried his best not to make any noise.</p><p>"Just a little more" Miwa said. "You definitely shouldn't of rode down here, it's <em>raining.</em> And on a bike? That's just asking for an accident."</p><p>"I didn't have a choice," Hinata simply put it.</p><p>Miwa sighed, failing to understand what he meant. She put the final bandages on his knees before going to sit with her family.</p><p>Hinata thanked her, but still refused to let anyone go near his face. It just didn't feel right.</p><p>He bounced his leg, and muttered to himself.</p><p>"Wake up" he said, "Wake up, god dammit!"</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>'Wake up, god dammit'</p><p>Damn it Hinata, I'm trying.</p><p>I can hear you!</p><p>How am I supposed to wake up when I'm already awake. Am I even awake?</p><p>I can hear it.</p><p>I can hear <em>him</em>.</p><p>His voice is so close,</p><p>But it feels like he's a million miles away.</p><p>At this point, even I'm screaming at myself to wake up.</p><p>If I wake up I can play volleyball again.</p><p>I can get around without support.</p><p>I can see his smile again.</p><p>'Just hold on dumbass... I'm coming.'</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Just Listen to my Voice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>I sat there, scratching my hands and muttering to myself, waiting for an update.</p><p>I looked at the time, 1:24 a.m. I doubt I can call anyone else to come at this hour.</p><p>Instead I look at his family, who were sitting on the other side of the room, and wonder if anyone would have stuck around for me this long.</p><p>A nurse comes in, and we all get up eagerly.</p><p>She takes a deep breath.</p><p>"Right now" she says, "Only immediate family is allowed in."</p><p>My heart sinks.</p><p>Immediate family? Isn't that what they do when someone is... dying?</p><p>"His condition isn't stable" she continues, "We don't know for sure what the outcome will be, but just in case you'll be allowed to see him now."</p><p>They leave, and I stood there motionless.</p><p>'He'll be fine' I think, 'He's gonna be just fine'</p><p>But an unintended wave of flashbacks sink into my mind. When I first got a call from Miss Kageyama. Seeing him in that coma from which he almost looked lifeless.</p><p>Lifeless.</p><p>"Shit."</p><p>
  <em>Kageyama POV</em>
</p><p>
  <em>beep, beep, beep, beep</em>
</p><p>"He's awake!" I hear someone say, through muffled, happy sobs.</p><p>I open my eyes, still unable to see.</p><p>It's not the 'nothing dark' I saw when I first woke up.</p><p>It's a dark that can be easily escaped from. A beautiful dark.</p><p>The muffled voices in my head and by my side turn clear.</p><p>"Welcome back, sweetie."</p><p>It's the American lady.</p><p>I try to speak, to get up, to move at least an inch.</p><p>Nothings working. I can't move.</p><p>"Don't try tp get up" she says, "Or talk... just listen."</p><p>I've been out for so long.</p><p><em>Too</em> long.</p><p>I get showered with tears and joy, by voices that sound like family's.</p><p>My parents hold my hands as the doctors explain what's happening.</p><p>"There's now a gauze around your eyes" she concludes, "You won't be able to see right away, your eyes will need a lot of time to get used to natural light. Congratulations Tobio, you're no longer blind!"</p><p>Yes.</p><p>Yes!</p><p>"Hi...ta" I managed tp squeeze out. It's been so long since I've talked I'm surprised I didn't forget how to. "Where...Hi...ta?"</p><p>"Hinata's outside" my mum says with a chuckle. "I'll go bring him for you"</p><p>She kisses my forehead and everyone leaves the room.</p><p>"Hina...ta"</p><p>
  <em>Hinata POV</em>
</p><p>Miss Kageyama walked in. She was crying, but they were happy tears.</p><p>She kneels down next to me.</p><p>"You can see him now."</p><p>I spring up from my seat.</p><p>He's awake.</p><p>He's <em>alive</em>.</p><p>I bow to her, and follow the nurse to the room.</p><p>He was still laying down sure, but he wasn't dead. I walk up to him, and sit on the chair next to his bed.</p><p>He must have heard the leather squeak as I sat down, because he turned his head slightly towards me.</p><p>His eyes were covered in a white cloth, and his arms and body filled with wires and tubes.</p><p>"Hinata..." he said softly.</p><p>His voice.</p><p>He said my name.</p><p>He's here.</p><p>"I'm here" I tell him.</p><p>He tried to sit up, but I gently push him back down. Instead, I adjust his bed to face up.</p><p>"Looks like I don't need you to baby me anymore." He says slowly, through silent giggles.</p><p>"Stupid" I tell him, "I'm <em>always</em> going to have to baby you if you keep doing these stupid things. You kept me waiting so long, I thought you might never come back."</p><p>"Yeah, sorry about that" he starts. "I want to see you."</p><p>I'm a bit surprised actually. After all this time, theres so much he missed out on.</p><p>Seeing the volleyball and the net that he loves so dearly.</p><p>Seeing Tokyo covered in ice.</p><p>Seeing his family and friends who he had panic attacks thinking about.</p><p>But now, he wants to see me?</p><p>"I want to see your orange hair" he says, "and your stupid face, and your... and your"</p><p>I giggle a little.</p><p>I forgot he was high on anesthetics.</p><p>On top of his exhaustion it's no wonder he's saying crazy things.</p><p>"...and your smile."</p><p>M...my smile?</p><p>I look over to him. Even with gauze wrapping his face, I can see the realness in his eyes. The <em>beauty </em>in his eyes.</p><p>I come closer to him.</p><p>"You don't need to see me" I start. "Not yet. Just listen to my voice, and you'll be just fine."</p>
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